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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rash — a series
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — decided
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — a contest
  12. bound — obliged
  13. firm — steady
  14. race — the arms race
  15. firm — a company
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tear — from crying
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bank — for money
  23. rash — hasty
  24. tear — from crying

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