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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: calf · snap · mark · fan · pitch · face · track · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. track — to keep track
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. face — to confront
  9. race — humankind
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. face — part of the head
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. snap — to click
  20. mark — a trace
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. race — a contest
  24. fan — a supporter

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