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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. race — a contest
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — goods
  13. race — the arms race
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bank — for money
  19. stock — shares
  20. bank — for money
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. cabinet — ministers

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