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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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. net — in sport
  4. race — a contest
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cue — for pool
  13. net — for catching
  14. club — for golf
  15. net — after costs
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. club — a group
  18. cap — of ice
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cue — a hint
  21. charge — a price
  22. club — for dancing
  23. charge — in control
  24. cue — a signal

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