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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. race — humankind
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. race — a contest
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rule — a law
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wake — a trail
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fine — high quality
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rule — government

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