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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: kid · race · nail · lean · club · lash · racket · safe

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. race — a contest
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. kid — child
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lean — thin
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. lean — to bend
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. race — the arms race
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — to tease
  24. club — for dancing

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