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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 124 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lean — thin
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. kid — to tease
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. race — a contest
  14. bank — of a river
  15. kid — child
  16. band — a ring
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. race — humankind
  24. band — a music group

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