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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stem — to come from
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — farmland
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. race — humankind
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. field — for sport
  20. face — to confront
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — part of the head

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