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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. race — the arms race
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. mark — a grade
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lash — an eyelash

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