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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 · race · stick · arm · mouse · current · wind · object

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — an aim
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. current — of water
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wind — moving air
  10. current — happening now
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. race — a contest
  17. object — to protest
  18. current — electric
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wind — moving air
  23. race — the arms race
  24. object — a thing

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