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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 116 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: rest · stick · track · racket · race · stand

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. race — a contest
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. race — humankind
  14. track — a path
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. racket — a loud noise

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