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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — magic
  3. race — the arms race
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bank — of a river
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — humankind
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. race — a contest
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — a series
  16. rock — music
  17. drill — the tool
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. drill — army training
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rock — a stone
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. drill — a practice

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