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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. drill — army training
  3. vault — a safe
  4. drill — the tool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — to cut
  9. suit — in cards
  10. race — humankind
  11. drill — a practice
  12. race — the arms race
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. race — a contest
  19. clip — for paper
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. suit — to fit

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