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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: race · snap · lash · track · pit · stand · fork · mark

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. race — a contest
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fork — in a road
  7. track — a song
  8. snap — to click
  9. pit — in a race
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. track — a path
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. race — humankind
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stand — on your feet

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