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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. deal — to handle
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — in cards
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. race — the arms race
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hand — help
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. race — humankind
  16. fine — all right
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. race — a contest
  23. hand — part of the body
  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