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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.

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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: sharp · race · file · lash · rush · wound · scale · pitch

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. scale — in music
  3. rush — hurry
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. file — a document
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. race — humankind
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wound — an injury
  15. race — a contest
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. file — a line of people
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. file — a tool
  23. sharp — clever
  24. race — the arms race

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