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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cue — a signal
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. race — humankind
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cue — a hint
  16. lean — thin
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bore — to drill
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. race — a contest
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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