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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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 — humankind
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — a break
  5. tear — from crying
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. race — the arms race
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rest — what's left
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rush — hurry
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. race — a contest
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. net — in sport
  21. foot — a measure
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rush — to hurry
  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