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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. race — humankind
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. capital — money
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bank — for money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. face — to point toward
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. face — to confront
  18. race — the arms race
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. race — a contest
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. capital — a city

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