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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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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: present · wax · craft · bank · track · stand · pitcher · race

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. craft — boats
  3. track — a path
  4. race — the arms race
  5. present — a gift
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. race — a contest
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. track — to keep track
  15. present — the time now
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bank — of a river
  19. race — humankind
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. track — a song
  24. bank — for money

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