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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. race — humankind
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. race — a contest
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pit — in a race
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. toast — bread
  22. rash — hasty
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bank — for money

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