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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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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: race · field · ball · plane · safe · squash · track · rest

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rest — what's left
  3. race — the arms race
  4. plane — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. field — for sport
  8. track — to keep track
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. track — a song
  11. race — humankind
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. field — a subject
  14. squash — the sport
  15. rest — a break
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. race — a contest
  18. track — a path
  19. rest — what's left
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. squash — to crush
  24. field — farmland

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