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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: hand · can · lie · key · rash · roll · bear · race

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. roll — a list
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. key — in music
  13. hand — help
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. roll — a cake
  18. race — a contest
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. key — for a lock
  21. can — a tin
  22. hand — in cards
  23. can — a tin
  24. key — the most important part

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