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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. race — humankind
  3. tube — a container
  4. bass — low music
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. race — a contest
  10. craft — boats
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. row — to paddle
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — finally
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. last — to go on
  18. craft — a skill
  19. race — the arms race
  20. last — final
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. row — a line
  24. craft — a handicraft

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