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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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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 · racket · present · ball · saw · spell · toast · stand

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. spell — magic
  4. present — the time now
  5. race — a contest
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. present — a gift
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. spell — letters
  16. present — there
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. saw — the tool

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