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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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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 · current · plane · hand · row · race · lie · mark

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. track — to keep track
  4. race — a contest
  5. hand — help
  6. current — electric
  7. mark — a trace
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. race — humankind
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. row — a line
  13. current — of water
  14. track — a path
  15. current — happening now
  16. lie — to recline
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — a tool
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mark — a grade
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. track — a song

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