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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.

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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. root — of a word
  6. cue — for pool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. root — the cause
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bark — to shout
  17. cue — a hint
  18. tube — a container
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. race — humankind

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