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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. suit — clothes
  4. race — the arms race
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fine — all right
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bound — certain
  10. fine — high quality
  11. race — humankind
  12. spring — the season
  13. can — a tin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. spring — a coil
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bound — tied together
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — of water
  22. bound — obliged
  23. race — a contest
  24. can — a tin

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