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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. current — electric
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. race — the arms race
  5. current — of water
  6. rest — a break
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. toast — bread
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. track — to keep track
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. current — happening now
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. track — a song
  18. race — humankind
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — a path
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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