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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 116 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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Word bank
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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: charge · lash · race · pitcher · scale · wind · calf · firm

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. race — humankind
  7. charge — electricity
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. race — the arms race
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — a company
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. charge — in control
  23. race — a contest
  24. charge — a price

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