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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 120 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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. charge — a price
  3. race — a contest
  4. charge — in control
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. band — a music group
  8. pop — to visit
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pop — music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. race — humankind
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pop — soda

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