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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: lean · pitch · mark · race · cap · cabinet · track · land

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. land — to come down
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. track — to keep track
  7. lean — thin
  8. track — a path
  9. cap — of ice
  10. race — humankind
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mark — a grade
  14. race — a contest
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — completely
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. land — ground
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cap — a hat
  24. land — a country

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