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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pit — a hole
  3. root — of a word
  4. race — humankind
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. race — a contest
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bore — to tire
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pit — in a race
  12. race — the arms race
  13. charge — a price
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. charge — in control
  16. root — the cause
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. root — of a plant
  19. fall — to drop
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. deal — an agreement

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