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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — part of the head
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. race — humankind
  6. season — in sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. season — of the year
  9. drill — the tool
  10. board — a committee
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. race — a contest
  13. face — to point toward
  14. race — the arms race
  15. staff — employees
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bank — of a river
  19. staff — a stick
  20. face — to confront
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bank — for money

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