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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cell — in biology
  5. club — a group
  6. tube — a container
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. club — for golf
  10. race — humankind
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. club — for dancing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bank — for money
  18. cell — a phone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bank — of a river
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. race — a contest
  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