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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bank — of a river
  8. race — a contest
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. race — humankind
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. capital — a city
  16. bank — for money
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fan — a supporter

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