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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 · rash · safe · race · board · club · pass · wake

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wake — a trail
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. board — to get on
  11. race — humankind
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. club — a group
  15. race — a contest
  16. rash — a series
  17. club — for golf
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pass — a permit
  20. race — the arms race
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wake — before a funeral

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