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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 124 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. club — for golf
  2. drill — army training
  3. bank — for money
  4. bulb — for light
  5. race — humankind
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. drill — the tool
  9. club — a group
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. drill — a practice
  14. race — a contest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — there
  18. club — for dancing
  19. present — the time now
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. present — a gift
  23. bank — of a river
  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