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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. race — the arms race
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. race — a contest
  9. last — finally
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. last — final
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — humankind
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. last — to go on
  24. fan — a supporter

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