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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bat — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. current — of water
  8. staff — a stick
  9. current — electric
  10. staff — employees
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rush — hurry
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. staff — employees
  23. current — happening now
  24. race — a contest

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