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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
468
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: race · bulb · key · lash · leaves · rash · rest · pop

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. race — humankind
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rash — hasty
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rest — a break
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rash — a series
  15. key — in music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bulb — for light
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pop — to visit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rest — what's left

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