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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · lash · snap · bore · race · bear · key · mate

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rock — music
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bear — the animal
  7. snap — to click
  8. race — humankind
  9. key — the most important part
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — in music
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bore — to tire
  20. race — a contest
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bear — the animal

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