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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. race — the arms race
  5. shower — rain
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. scale — size or range
  9. shower — to wash
  10. craft — a skill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. race — humankind
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stand — to bear
  17. craft — boats
  18. race — a contest
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bank — of a river
  21. suit — clothes
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. scale — in music
  24. suit — to fit

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