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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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468
Word bank
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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. press — newspapers
  5. race — a contest
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. race — humankind
  9. date — the fruit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. race — the arms race
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rest — what's left
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. content — happy
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. content — the amount
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pass — a permit

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