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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: arm · can · track · toast · chest · lash · shower · race

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  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. shower — rain
  2. track — a path
  3. race — a contest
  4. chest — a box
  5. shower — to wash
  6. can — a tin
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. race — humankind
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. can — a tin
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. track — to keep track
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. track — a song
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. can — to be able to
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. race — the arms race
  23. chest — of your body
  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