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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rash — a series
  8. mate — a partner
  9. rash — hasty
  10. race — humankind
  11. bank — of a river
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. roll — a cake
  17. race — the arms race
  18. roll — a list
  19. snap — to click
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. race — a contest
  24. rash — on the skin

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