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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 120 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: rock · cap · wake · press · firm · race

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cap — a lid
  3. race — a contest
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cap — of ice
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. firm — decided
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rock — a stone
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. press — a publisher
  15. rock — music
  16. firm — steady
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. firm — a company

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