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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. race — humankind
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pop — soda
  7. bound — tied together
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. cold — an illness
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. race — a contest
  18. pop — music
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bound — certain
  22. cold — not warm
  23. bound — obliged
  24. firm — steady

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