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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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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: rock · calf · press · lash · band · bear · spell · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. press — to push
  7. bear — the animal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. spell — letters
  10. press — newspapers
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. band — a music group
  13. rock — music
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. band — a ring
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. press — a publisher

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