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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. board — to get on
  3. race — the arms race
  4. clip — a video
  5. season — of the year
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. board — a committee
  10. snap — to click
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. race — humankind
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. clip — to cut
  21. clip — for paper
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — to recline

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