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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stand — to bear
  3. tube — a container
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. tube — the underground
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — humankind
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mine — for digging
  20. race — the arms race
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rule — a law

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