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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
468
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: rash · sharp · track · bowl · kick · pop · row · ruler

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. sharp — clever
  3. track — a path
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pop — soda
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. track — to keep track
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. rash — a series
  12. track — a song
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. pop — music
  17. kick — in football
  18. row — a line
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pop — to visit
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ruler — for measuring

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