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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. race — a contest
  7. suit — in cards
  8. race — humankind
  9. wind — moving air
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. degree — an amount
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. spring — the season
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. spring — of water
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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