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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 116 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: object · race · pitch · ball · firm · track · deal · mark

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. firm — steady
  5. ball — a great time
  6. track — a path
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. object — an aim
  10. track — to keep track
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ball — a dance
  14. object — a thing
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. firm — a company
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. object — to protest
  21. firm — decided
  22. race — a contest
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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