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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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468
Word bank
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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. present — the time now
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stand — to bear
  6. key — in music
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. key — the most important part
  13. race — humankind
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bank — of a river
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. row — a line
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bank — for money
  22. race — the arms race
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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