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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bank — of a river
  3. race — humankind
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — to bear
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spell — magic
  12. roll — a cake
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. race — a contest
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. roll — a list
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. race — the arms race
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. cue — a hint

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