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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. drill — army training
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rest — what's left
  5. race — humankind
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stock — goods
  9. cue — for pool
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rest — a break
  16. drill — a practice
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. race — a contest
  19. stock — shares
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kick — a thrill

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