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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 116 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 do anything ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. race — a contest
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. race — humankind
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rash — a series
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. race — the arms race
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stand — to bear
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. racket — a loud noise

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