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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bark — to shout
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bank — for money
  7. race — a contest
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rest — a break
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. race — humankind
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. wake — a trail
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — a tin

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