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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rest — what's left
  5. race — a contest
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. race — the arms race
  8. land — a country
  9. craft — boats
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. last — to go on
  22. land — to come down
  23. pit — in a race
  24. land — ground

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