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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — goods
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bank — of a river
  11. deal — to handle
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mate — to breed
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stock — shares
  19. bank — for money
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. race — a contest
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mate — a friend

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