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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: foot · fall · safe · ball · race · lash · dip · rest

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fall — to drop
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ball — a great time
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fall — to drop
  14. race — humankind
  15. fall — the season
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. race — a contest
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ball — a dance
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. foot — part of the body

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