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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 · foot · bank · track · roll · row · lash · pit

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — humankind
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. race — the arms race
  8. track — a path
  9. row — a line
  10. track — a song
  11. pit — in a race
  12. race — a contest
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pit — a hole
  17. row — to paddle
  18. roll — a list
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. foot — a measure
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bank — for money

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