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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. race — humankind
  7. ground — a position
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. race — the arms race
  11. spell — letters
  12. firm — decided
  13. race — a contest
  14. ground — the earth
  15. spell — magic
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bear — the animal

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