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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: lie · lash · lean · ground · track · ball · squash · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ground — a position
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. race — humankind
  8. ground — crushed
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. squash — to crush
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lie — to recline
  15. race — a contest
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. track — a song
  20. lean — to bend
  21. track — a path
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lean — thin
  24. ball — a dance

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