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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. shower — to wash
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. last — to go on
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. last — finally
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. race — a contest
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. staff — a stick
  20. shower — rain
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bulb — for light

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