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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. fall — to drop
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — the arms race
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bank — for money
  9. fall — the season
  10. bank — of a river
  11. craft — boats
  12. row — to paddle
  13. craft — a skill
  14. race — a contest
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rash — a series
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bank — for money
  23. row — a line
  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