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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bank — for money
  3. cold — an illness
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bank — of a river
  8. race — a contest
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. race — humankind
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. race — the arms race
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bank — for money
  21. mug — a face
  22. cold — not warm
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

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