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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ground — the earth
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — a position
  16. pop — soda
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. pop — music

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