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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. plane — a tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. race — the arms race
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. race — a contest
  12. current — of water
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. foot — a measure
  19. race — humankind
  20. bulb — for light
  21. last — to go on
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. current — electric
  24. bulb — for light

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