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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. branch — a division
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. board — to get on
  9. race — humankind
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bank — for money
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bank — for money
  14. race — a contest
  15. net — in sport
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bank — of a river
  18. net — for catching
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. board — a committee
  21. row — a line
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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