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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. staff — employees
  2. bear — the animal
  3. club — a group
  4. race — humankind
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. staff — employees
  8. kick — in football
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bank — of a river
  13. staff — a stick
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. race — a contest
  16. club — for golf
  17. track — a path
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. pop — soda
  23. bank — for money
  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