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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lean — thin
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. tube — a container
  14. race — a contest
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wound — an injury
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bank — of a river
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a football final

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