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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 · craft · fan · pitch · march · kick · lash · safe

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. race — humankind
  3. craft — boats
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. race — a contest
  9. march — the month
  10. pitch — completely
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. race — the arms race
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. march — music
  23. kick — in football
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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