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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: perch · bowl · file · ball · lie · current · rash · race

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. perch — the fish
  3. file — a tool
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. current — of water
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. race — humankind
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rash — hasty
  10. lie — to recline
  11. file — a line of people
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. file — a document
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — happening now
  22. race — the arms race
  23. current — electric
  24. race — a contest

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