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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: hide · racket · rule · lash · race · safe · root · capital

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a word
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. root — the cause
  9. race — humankind
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — of a plant
  14. capital — a city
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rule — government
  17. capital — money
  18. race — the arms race
  19. rule — a law
  20. race — a contest
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rule — to rule out

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