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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · charge · bore · lean · rash · rest · mine · race

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rest — a break
  6. lean — to bend
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — a price
  11. race — a contest
  12. rash — hasty
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rash — a series
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. charge — in control
  20. bore — to drill
  21. track — a path
  22. mine — for digging
  23. track — a song
  24. rash — on the skin

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