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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pit — in a race
  3. face — part of the head
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. race — the arms race
  7. key — for a lock
  8. race — humankind
  9. key — the most important part
  10. race — a contest
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tube — the underground
  13. charge — in control
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — electricity
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bank — for money
  19. pit — a hole
  20. tube — a container
  21. face — to confront
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. charge — a price
  24. plane — in geometry

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