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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ground — crushed
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. race — humankind
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ground — a position
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — to rob
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. race — a contest
  13. track — a path
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mug — a cup
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. spring — of water
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mug — a face
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. track — to keep track
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. track — a song

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