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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. spell — magic
  4. kick — in football
  5. race — a contest
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pop — music
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pop — to visit
  12. race — humankind
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pop — soda
  23. spell — letters
  24. race — the arms race

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