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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: race · suit · file · stick · bowl · lash

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — in cards
  6. file — a tool
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. file — a document
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. race — humankind
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race

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