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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: dip · lash · foot · capital · row · roll · race · leaves

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. race — the arms race
  5. row — to paddle
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. race — a contest
  8. dip — to sink
  9. race — humankind
  10. capital — money
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. row — a line
  17. foot — a measure
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. capital — a city
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. leaves — lets stay

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