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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rule — government
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. race — a contest
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — to fit
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rule — a law
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — a partner
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. race — humankind

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