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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: track · can · wake · toast · rock · bowl · chair · race

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. track — a path
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. rock — music
  8. track — a song
  9. wake — a trail
  10. race — humankind
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — a stone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — bread
  18. race — a contest
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. track — to keep track
  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