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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. club — for dancing
  4. race — a contest
  5. cell — in biology
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. club — for golf
  8. lean — to bend
  9. spell — magic
  10. toast — bread
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. race — the arms race
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. race — humankind
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cell — a phone
  20. suit — to fit
  21. club — a group
  22. lean — thin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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