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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — music
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. race — a contest
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pass — a permit

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