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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. march — the month
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. march — music
  7. ground — crushed
  8. suit — clothes
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. race — humankind
  15. suit — to fit
  16. race — a contest
  17. ball — a dance
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ground — a position
  21. march — the month
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. leaves — lets stay

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