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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 124 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. race — humankind
  4. rule — government
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. race — the arms race
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cue — for pool
  12. race — a contest
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cue — a signal
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pit — a hole
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. firm — a company
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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