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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: present · cap · coach · race · bore · toast

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. present — the time now
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. race — humankind
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cap — of ice
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. toast — bread
  10. present — there
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. present — a gift
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cap — a lid
  17. race — the arms race
  18. toast — the most admired

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