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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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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. shower — rain
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mark — a grade
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — humankind
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pound — a weight
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bank — of a river
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bank — for money
  17. race — a contest
  18. mark — to pay attention

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