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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. tube — a container
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. kick — in football
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bank — for money
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. race — a contest
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. chair — a leader
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bank — for money

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