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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: race · coach · mark · row · swing · bound · stem · toast

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. row — to paddle
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. race — humankind
  8. swing — to play on
  9. race — the arms race
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. race — a contest
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. row — a line
  16. bound — certain
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bound — obliged
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stem — to come from
  21. swing — in golf
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. toast — bread
  24. swing — music

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