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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. race — the arms race
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. net — after costs
  6. last — finally
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wound — an injury
  13. race — humankind
  14. net — in sport
  15. charge — a price
  16. wound — an injury
  17. current — of water
  18. race — a contest
  19. net — for catching
  20. plane — a tool
  21. charge — in control
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. charge — electricity

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