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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: board · cold · temple · race · lash · suit · safe · object

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. object — to protest
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — clothes
  6. object — an aim
  7. cold — an illness
  8. race — a contest
  9. board — a committee
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. board — to get on
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. object — a thing
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. race — the arms race
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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