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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bank — for money
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — a committee
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. race — humankind
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rule — a law
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. wax — to grow
  22. race — a contest
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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