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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: wound · race · bulb · bowl · rush · key · stick · lie

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bulb — for light
  5. key — the most important part
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. race — a contest
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. race — humankind
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. lie — to recline

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