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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wind — moving air
  3. charge — electricity
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. scale — in music
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. race — the arms race
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. charge — in control
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. charge — a price

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