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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. race — the arms race
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fork — in a road
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rush — hurry
  7. board — a committee
  8. bank — of a river
  9. dip — to sink
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bank — for money
  12. race — humankind
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — letters
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. board — to get on
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. race — a contest
  20. squash — the sport
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. spell — magic

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