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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cue — for pool
  4. track — a path
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. race — humankind
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — government
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rule — a law
  12. race — the arms race
  13. fine — all right
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bank — for money
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. race — a contest
  20. bank — for money
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cue — a signal

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