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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bore — to drill
  3. ground — a position
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. bore — to tire
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. race — a contest
  23. ground — the earth
  24. race — humankind

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