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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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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: calf · key · row · lash · pass · race · field · mark

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. race — humankind
  5. key — in music
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. field — for sport
  9. row — to paddle
  10. key — for a lock
  11. race — a contest
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. field — a subject
  17. row — a line
  18. field — farmland
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — a trace

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