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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · track · race · bay · wake · squash · key · pitcher

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. track — to keep track
  4. race — humankind
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. squash — the sport
  7. fine — all right
  8. race — the arms race
  9. key — in music
  10. squash — to crush
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. race — a contest
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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