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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 116 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: track · object · staff · wound · mark · cue · race · stand

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. track — to keep track
  3. object — to protest
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. race — a contest
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. race — the arms race
  8. track — a song
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. race — humankind
  11. wound — an injury
  12. staff — a stick
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cue — a signal
  15. object — a thing
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. track — a path
  19. staff — employees
  20. stand — to bear
  21. staff — employees
  22. object — an aim
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wound — an injury

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