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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. net — in sport
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bank — of a river
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bank — for money
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — in control
  10. race — humankind
  11. staff — employees
  12. race — a contest
  13. spring — the season
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — a price
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bank — for money
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. spring — of water
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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