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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. race — humankind
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. snap — to click
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bank — for money
  23. race — a contest
  24. bank — of a river

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