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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. march — music
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bank — for money
  9. race — a contest
  10. march — the month
  11. bank — for money
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. current — happening now
  19. march — the month
  20. race — humankind
  21. current — electric
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — of water
  24. safe — out of danger

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