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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: bay · pop · chest · hide · cell · lash · race · mug

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. race — a contest
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. chest — of your body
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pop — soda
  11. chest — a box
  12. mug — to rob
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. race — the arms race
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mug — a face
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. race — humankind
  24. mug — a cup

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