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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rest — a break
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rash — a series
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — in football
  10. rest — what's left
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. race — the arms race
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — a contest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. lash — an eyelash

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