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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — of ice
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cue — a hint
  10. perch — the fish
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bear — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. cue — for pool
  17. race — a contest
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cap — a hat
  23. band — a music group
  24. bear — to put up with

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