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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
468
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: race · can · chair · track · toast · bass · march · saw

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — the fish
  5. race — humankind
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. can — to be able to
  8. march — the month
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. chair — a leader
  11. march — the month
  12. toast — bread
  13. race — the arms race
  14. track — a song
  15. can — a tin
  16. race — a contest
  17. march — music
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. can — a tin

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