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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: content · dip · race · present · calf · band · pass · track

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — humankind
  6. present — the time now
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. content — happy
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. band — a ring
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — a permit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — the amount
  18. race — a contest
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. track — to keep track
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. present — there
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. content — videos and posts

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