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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. game — wild animals
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. race — a contest
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — steady
  8. roll — a cake
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bank — of a river
  12. race — humankind
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. craft — boats
  15. bank — for money
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. roll — a list
  18. firm — a company
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. race — the arms race
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. game — a match
  24. firm — decided

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