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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. race — humankind
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bound — tied together
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bank — of a river
  14. race — a contest
  15. bound — certain
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ground — a position
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bank — for money
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bank — for money

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