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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 124 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. race — humankind
  5. rule — government
  6. spell — magic
  7. race — a contest
  8. bank — for money
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bank — for money
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bank — of a river
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. can — a tin
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. saw — the tool
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. game — a match
  22. rule — a law
  23. spell — letters
  24. saw — the tool

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