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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · present · pitch · lash · suit · pass

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pass — a permit
  3. present — a gift
  4. race — a contest
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. present — there
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. present — the time now
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. race — the arms race
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lash — to lash out

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