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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 120 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — humankind
  9. capital — a city
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bear — the animal
  15. club — for golf
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pop — soda
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pop — music
  21. club — a group
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. race — the arms race
  24. capital — 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