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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. firm — a company
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spell — magic
  9. court — of law
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spell — a short time
  12. court — for sport
  13. current — happening now
  14. race — a contest
  15. firm — steady
  16. branch — a division
  17. current — electric
  18. firm — decided
  19. court — of a king
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — of water
  24. spell — letters

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