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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bank — of a river
  4. race — a contest
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pitch — completely
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. race — humankind
  10. clip — to cut
  11. current — happening now
  12. face — to point toward
  13. current — electric
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. face — part of the head
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. face — to confront
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. current — of water
  20. clip — a video
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. arm — part of the body
  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