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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: club · row · trunk · rush · race · cap · pitch · toast

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cap — of ice
  8. club — for golf
  9. race — humankind
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. race — a contest
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. club — for dancing
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. club — a group
  21. toast — bread
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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