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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cue — a hint
  4. ground — the earth
  5. object — to protest
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. race — a contest
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ground — a position
  15. race — humankind
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. object — a thing
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. object — an aim
  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