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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 116 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mate — a partner
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. race — a contest
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — a song
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hand — in cards
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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