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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. race — humankind
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rule — government
  9. mate — a partner
  10. scale — in music
  11. race — a contest
  12. mate — to breed
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pass — a permit
  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