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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wind — moving air
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rest — a break
  15. race — a contest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. race — humankind
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. scale — in music
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rest — what's left

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