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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 116 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: race · bore · stem · ball · track · lie · bark · bulb

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. race — a contest
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. race — humankind
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. track — a path
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. track — a song
  15. bark — to shout
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stem — to come from

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