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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mark — a trace
  3. race — a contest
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pit — a hole
  7. last — to go on
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. race — humankind
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. last — final
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lean — to bend
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bore — to tire
  17. race — the arms race
  18. mark — a grade
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pit — in a race
  24. last — finally

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