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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. race — the arms race
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bore — to drill
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — to trim
  11. race — a contest
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. race — humankind
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rock — music
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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