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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — to visit
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rest — a break
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. race — the arms race
  13. root — of a word
  14. race — a contest
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. root — the cause
  20. pop — soda
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com