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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: roll · track · lie · kick · lash · hand · race · bowl

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. track — a song
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. track — a path
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. kick — in football
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. roll — a cake
  9. lie — to recline
  10. hand — in cards
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. track — to keep track
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. hand — help
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. race — the arms race
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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