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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: safe · ball · bark · coach · mouse · race · wax · track

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. race — humankind
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wax — to grow
  6. track — a path
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. race — the arms race
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. track — a song
  15. race — a contest
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mouse — the animal

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