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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: sharp · race · coach · safe · lash · bear · rash · wind

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bear — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. race — humankind
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. race — a contest
  24. rash — a series

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