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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: can · temple · pitch · track · bass · rock · ground · race

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ground — the earth
  3. race — the arms race
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bass — low music
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. track — a path
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rock — music
  23. can — a tin
  24. bass — the fish

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