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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. can — to be able to
  3. race — the arms race
  4. swing — music
  5. race — humankind
  6. chip — for betting
  7. swing — in golf
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. swing — to play on
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lean — to bend
  14. can — a tin
  15. race — a contest
  16. chip — to eat
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — a tin
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. tube — a container
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. prune — to trim

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