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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. firm — a company
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. club — for golf
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. race — the arms race
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. last — finally
  11. firm — decided
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. last — to go on
  15. race — a contest
  16. lean — thin
  17. race — humankind
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. chair — a leader
  20. club — for dancing
  21. last — final
  22. club — a group
  23. firm — steady
  24. calf — a young animal

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