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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · firm · fine · race · tube · racket · rush · kick

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. race — humankind
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. firm — a company
  6. fine — all right
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. firm — steady
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rash — hasty
  13. firm — decided
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. kick — in football
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. rash — a series
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — hurry
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. race — a contest

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