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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bank — of a river
  3. track — a path
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. race — humankind
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. current — happening now
  17. track — to keep track
  18. season — of the year
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — boats
  21. stand — to bear
  22. race — a contest
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. track — a song

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