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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bank — for money
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fork — in a road
  6. race — the arms race
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bank — of a river
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ball — a great time
  17. race — humankind
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. race — a contest
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bank — for money
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rash — a series

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