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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: present · stick · can · track · land · staff · foot · race

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. race — humankind
  4. track — a path
  5. can — to be able to
  6. race — the arms race
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. staff — a stick
  10. can — a tin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. staff — employees
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. race — a contest
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. land — to come down
  18. present — a gift
  19. land — a country
  20. track — a song
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. staff — employees
  23. land — ground
  24. can — a tin

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