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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: race · lash · hand · cue · bound · key · pit · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bound — tied together
  4. key — for a lock
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. key — the most important part
  12. hand — help
  13. race — humankind
  14. key — in music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bound — certain
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bound — obliged
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cue — for pool
  23. race — a contest
  24. cue — a hint

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