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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. race — a contest
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. race — humankind
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — to recline
  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