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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: race · trunk · pitcher · bowl · lash · key · patient · mark

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. race — the arms race
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. race — humankind
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mark — a trace
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mark — a grade
  12. race — a contest
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. key — in music
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bowl — a dish

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