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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bank — for money
  9. pop — soda
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pop — music
  14. race — humankind
  15. bank — of a river
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. fine — all right
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. branch — a division
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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