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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 currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. can — a tin
  3. race — a contest
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rash — a series
  6. tube — the underground
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. net — in sport
  11. bank — of a river
  12. board — to get on
  13. tube — a container
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bank — for money
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bank — for money
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. can — a tin
  24. race — humankind

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