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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mate — a friend
  12. chip — to eat
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mate — to breed
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chip — for betting
  24. race — the arms race

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