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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 120 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: row · current · race · stick · racket · mine · fine · track

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. current — happening now
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. current — electric
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. fine — all right
  14. current — of water
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. row — to paddle
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. track — a path
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. race — a contest
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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