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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. suit — to fit
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. shower — to wash
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pound — a weight
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. game — wild animals
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. shower — rain
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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