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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lean — thin
  3. object — to protest
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. key — in music
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bank — for money
  10. object — a thing
  11. bank — of a river
  12. race — a contest
  13. object — an aim
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. hand — help
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. hand — in cards
  20. key — the most important part
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bank — for money

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