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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: rash · stem · saw · lean · bowl · racket · squash · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rash — a series
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rash — hasty
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. race — a contest
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. squash — the sport
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stem — to come from
  16. race — humankind
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lean — thin
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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