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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: current · lie · date · race · bowl · foot · cue · chest

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. current — of water
  3. chest — of your body
  4. lie — to recline
  5. foot — a measure
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. current — happening now
  15. cue — a signal
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. race — the arms race
  19. current — electric
  20. chest — a box
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. race — humankind
  24. bowl — a football final

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