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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. charge — in control
  2. race — humankind
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pound — a weight
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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