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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. race — the arms race
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — a contest
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. scale — size or range
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. scale — in music
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bank — of a river
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bank — for money

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