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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 120 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wake — a trail
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. mine — for digging
  10. pop — to visit
  11. race — a contest
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bank — for money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — music
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pop — soda
  24. race — humankind

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