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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. race — the arms race
  6. suit — in cards
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. race — a contest
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. suit — clothes
  14. club — a group
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. suit — to fit
  17. branch — a division
  18. club — for dancing
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — to tease
  21. race — humankind
  22. kid — child
  23. club — for golf
  24. ball — a round shape

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