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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. key — the most important part
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rule — government
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mug — a face
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — to tease
  16. race — humankind
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. race — a contest
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rule — a law

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