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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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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 · track · rock · suit · bank · straw · mate · kid

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. track — a path
  4. mate — a partner
  5. race — humankind
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. kid — child
  9. mate — to breed
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — to fit
  14. kid — to tease
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. race — a contest
  19. bank — for money
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rock — music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mate — a friend
  24. race — the arms race

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