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

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. race — a contest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. track — a song
  6. race — humankind
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. row — a line
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — to keep track
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pass — a permit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. row — to paddle
  21. date — the fruit
  22. race — the arms race
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ruler — a monarch

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