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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. race — the arms race
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. board — a committee
  6. rash — a series
  7. race — a contest
  8. current — of water
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lean — thin
  11. board — to get on
  12. rash — hasty
  13. lean — to bend
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. craft — boats
  18. last — final
  19. current — happening now
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. race — humankind
  22. current — electric
  23. last — to go on
  24. lash — an eyelash

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