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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mate — a partner
  4. firm — steady
  5. race — a contest
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. firm — a company
  9. bank — for money
  10. mate — to breed
  11. firm — decided
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mate — a friend
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stock — goods
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — humankind
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bank — of a river
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bank — for money
  24. stock — shares

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