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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. spell — letters
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. race — a contest
  9. kick — in football
  10. suit — clothes
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spell — magic
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mark — a grade
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. suit — to fit

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