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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fall — to drop
  10. press — a publisher
  11. race — a contest
  12. fall — the season
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. press — newspapers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mark — a trace
  19. race — humankind
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. press — to push
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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