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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: lash · coach · bulb · board · race · bark · firm · toast

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. race — a contest
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. firm — decided
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. race — humankind
  13. board — to get on
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — a committee
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. toast — bread
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. toast — the most admired

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