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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: lash · track · ruler · bay · race · shower · craft · charge

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. race — humankind
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. shower — rain
  7. race — the arms race
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. race — a contest
  11. craft — a skill
  12. track — a song
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — to keep track
  16. craft — boats
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — to wash
  21. track — a path
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. craft — a handicraft

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