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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · pitch · racket · spell · scale · race · lash · safe

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. spring — of water
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. spring — a coil
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spell — magic
  11. race — humankind
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitch — completely
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. spring — the season
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. safe — a strongbox

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