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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. season — of the year
  3. race — humankind
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. present — there
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. race — the arms race
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. tear — from crying
  10. lie — to recline
  11. tear — from crying
  12. season — in sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — clothes
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — in cards
  17. present — a gift
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. tear — to rip

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