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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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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: cabinet · race · firm · jam · deal · bay · present · track

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. race — humankind
  3. firm — a company
  4. track — a song
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. race — the arms race
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. present — there
  10. deal — to handle
  11. present — a gift
  12. race — a contest
  13. track — a path
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. firm — decided
  23. track — to keep track
  24. present — the time now

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