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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 116 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bank — of a river
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wound — an injury
  5. net — after costs
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. race — a contest
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kick — in football
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — for money
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. race — humankind

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