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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. band — a music group
  3. race — a contest
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. lean — to bend
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. race — humankind
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pass — a permit
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lean — thin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. band — a ring
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pass — to succeed

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