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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 116 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rash — a series
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rash — hasty
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. last — to go on
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. track — a path
  13. last — finally
  14. cue — a signal
  15. swing — to play on
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — humankind
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. track — a song
  22. last — final
  23. track — to keep track
  24. dip — to dunk

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