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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: mug · race · toast · jam · foot · court · can · wake

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. foot — a measure
  3. can — a tin
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. mug — a face
  7. can — a tin
  8. race — humankind
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. race — the arms race
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. wake — a trail
  14. can — to be able to
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. toast — bread
  24. court — for sport

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