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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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Word bank
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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: lie · race · pit · bear · bowl · wave

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. race — humankind
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — a contest
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with

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