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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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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: mark · track · rock · bound · coach · cell · snap · race

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rock — a stone
  7. track — to keep track
  8. race — humankind
  9. cell — a phone
  10. track — a song
  11. bound — tied together
  12. snap — to click
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bound — obliged
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. track — a path
  18. cell — in biology
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — a contest
  21. rock — music
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mark — to pay attention

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