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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. object — an aim
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. race — humankind
  7. object — a thing
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bank — for money
  13. object — to protest
  14. face — to confront
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — a coil
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. sharp — clever
  21. face — to point toward
  22. race — a contest
  23. face — part of the head
  24. can — to be able to

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