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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: cabinet · race · bulb · row · pit · charge · rush · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. row — to paddle
  3. race — humankind
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. charge — in control
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. race — a contest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. race — the arms race
  23. charge — a price
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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