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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — a contest
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. race — humankind
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mate — to breed
  14. land — to come down
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. clip — a video
  20. race — the arms race
  21. land — ground
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. clip — to cut
  24. land — a country

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