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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · lash · clip · net · scale · race · suit · mark

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. firm — a company
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. suit — in cards
  10. firm — decided
  11. race — the arms race
  12. net — in sport
  13. race — a contest
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — for catching
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. mark — a grade
  19. suit — to fit
  20. clip — a video
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. firm — steady
  24. net — after costs

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