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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. present — the time now
  3. race — humankind
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. race — a contest
  6. present — a gift
  7. track — a song
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bank — for money
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bank — of a river
  15. game — a match
  16. ball — a dance
  17. race — the arms race
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a great time
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. charge — electricity
  23. present — there
  24. ball — a round shape

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