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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lean — thin
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lean — to bend
  6. race — the arms race
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. race — a contest
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stand — to bear

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