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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 120 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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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: lash · rest · bat · pop · vault · race · suit · pitch

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — to fit
  4. race — the arms race
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pop — soda
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. race — a contest
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. suit — clothes
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pop — to visit
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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