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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. race — the arms race
  3. firm — decided
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. race — humankind
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. row — a line
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. race — a contest
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. firm — steady
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — a hole
  24. firm — a company

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