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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. track — a song
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — a contest
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. race — humankind
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bowl — to roll

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