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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — decided
  7. fall — the season
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bank — for money
  12. board — to get on
  13. race — a contest
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. race — humankind
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bank — of a river
  21. board — a committee
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. coach — a trainer

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