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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cell · race · mark · patient · date · suit · track · can

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. track — a song
  4. race — a contest
  5. suit — to fit
  6. can — a tin
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. date — the fruit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. track — to keep track
  13. race — humankind
  14. can — to be able to
  15. suit — clothes
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cell — in biology
  20. can — a tin
  21. race — the arms race
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mark — a trace
  24. track — a path

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