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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.

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: staff · lash · date · racket · bound · race · drill · game

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bound — tied together
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. drill — the tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bound — obliged
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. staff — employees
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. date — the fruit
  14. staff — a stick
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. drill — a practice
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. race — the arms race
  19. game — a match
  20. bound — certain
  21. race — a contest
  22. drill — army training
  23. race — humankind
  24. date — on the calendar

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