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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: lean · pass · squash · lash · race · track · bay · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. track — to keep track
  3. race — humankind
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. race — the arms race
  11. track — a path
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. last — finally
  18. race — a contest
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lean — thin
  21. track — a song
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. last — final

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