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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rest — what's left
  5. race — humankind
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. race — a contest
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. key — in music
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. squash — the sport
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — for a lock
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rest — a break
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. squash — to crush
  24. ball — a great time

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