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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mug — to rob
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. net — in sport
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mug — a cup
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — humankind
  16. mug — a face
  17. tube — a container
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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