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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: deal · sharp · mug · race · track · present · racket · snap

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. sharp — clever
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. present — there
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. race — humankind
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — a cup
  18. present — the time now
  19. track — a path
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. race — the arms race
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. present — a gift
  24. snap — to click

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