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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bound — obliged
  4. clip — a video
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mark — a trace
  9. race — the arms race
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bound — tied together
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. clip — for paper
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. branch — a division
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bound — certain
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. race — a contest
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mark — a grade
  24. squash — the sport

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