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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: hand · temple · pitcher · coach · track · branch · suit · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. race — a contest
  5. track — a song
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. hand — help
  19. suit — clothes
  20. track — a path
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. hand — in cards

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