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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. can — a tin
  4. present — the time now
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. branch — a division
  12. can — a tin
  13. present — a gift
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lean — thin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. present — there
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lean — to bend
  21. race — a contest
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. can — to be able to

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