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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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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: pop · rash · last · fine · hide · wound · current · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. current — of water
  3. rash — hasty
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. current — happening now
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pop — soda
  8. rash — a series
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fine — all right
  11. last — final
  12. race — a contest
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pop — music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. current — electric
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pop — to visit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rash — on the skin

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