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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. degree — temperature
  7. key — for a lock
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bore — to tire
  10. last — finally
  11. key — in music
  12. race — a contest
  13. last — final
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. degree — from a university
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bore — to drill
  18. last — to go on
  19. race — humankind
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pass — a permit
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pass — to spend time

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