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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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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: object · pit · lash · racket · bank · coach · perch · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. object — a thing
  12. bank — for money
  13. object — an aim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pit — in a race
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bank — of a river

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