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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. court — of a king
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. race — humankind
  10. mine — for digging
  11. race — a contest
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bank — for money
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. court — of law
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. rock — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bank — of a river
  21. court — for sport
  22. branch — a division
  23. bank — for money
  24. lie — an untruth

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