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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. current — of water
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. race — a contest
  10. wind — moving air
  11. board — to get on
  12. court — for sport
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. current — electric
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. current — happening now
  17. wind — moving air
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. court — of a king
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. court — of law
  23. board — a committee
  24. lash — to lash out

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