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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: rush · race · rest · pitcher · toast · coach · band · wave

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rest — a break
  8. race — a contest
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. race — humankind
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. toast — bread

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