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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. track — to keep track
  3. foot — a measure
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spell — magic
  6. race — a contest
  7. squash — the sport
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. date — the fruit
  11. track — a path
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. squash — to crush
  19. track — a song
  20. race — humankind
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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