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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. race — a contest
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rush — hurry
  10. race — humankind
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. race — the arms race
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bank — of a river
  23. face — to confront
  24. bank — for money

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