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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: bank · track · can · wake · bulb · race · row · chair

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. race — the arms race
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — a path
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — a contest
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a line
  11. track — to keep track
  12. row — to paddle
  13. track — a song
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. can — a tin
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. race — humankind
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — a trail
  24. chair — a professorship

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