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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 120 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: nail · pass · track · can · race · coach · rock · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. race — a contest
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. track — a path
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. can — a tin
  12. pass — a permit
  13. spring — the season
  14. track — a song
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. spring — a coil
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rock — a stone
  19. track — to keep track
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. race — humankind
  22. rock — music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. rock — to move gently

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