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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — thin
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bass — the fish
  8. race — a contest
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lean — to bend
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bound — obliged
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. shower — rain
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bass — low music
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. race — the arms race
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. race — humankind

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