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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. craft — boats
  4. race — a contest
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. race — humankind
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. drill — the tool
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. drill — a practice
  21. dip — to sink
  22. drill — army training
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — clothes

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