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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. object — a thing
  3. pop — soda
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — music
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pop — to visit
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. object — an aim
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. object — to protest
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. content — happy

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