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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tube — a container
  3. race — a contest
  4. land — to come down
  5. track — a path
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — steady
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. tube — the underground
  12. track — a song
  13. firm — a company
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. land — a country
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chair — a leader
  22. firm — decided
  23. land — ground
  24. chair — to sit on

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