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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. race — the arms race
  3. suit — to fit
  4. net — in sport
  5. perch — the fish
  6. row — to paddle
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. suit — in cards
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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