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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. tear — from crying
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. row — a line
  9. root — of a word
  10. tear — from crying
  11. charge — electricity
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. race — a contest
  15. charge — in control
  16. tear — to rip
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. charge — a price
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. root — the cause
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. race — humankind
  24. nail — for a hammer

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