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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. race — humankind
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fine — high quality
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rock — music
  15. fine — all right
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. race — the arms race
  18. rock — a stone
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. file — a tool
  22. bank — for money
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. charge — a price

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