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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. object — an aim
  4. bat — the animal
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. object — a thing
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. object — to protest
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. race — a contest
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. lash — to lash 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