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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: race · drill · branch · coach · track · stand · calf · object

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. track — a song
  4. object — to protest
  5. branch — a division
  6. drill — a practice
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. track — a path
  9. drill — army training
  10. object — an aim
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. track — to keep track
  16. race — humankind
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — a thing
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. drill — the tool

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