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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. race — humankind
  5. present — the time now
  6. bank — for money
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. present — there
  14. saw — the tool
  15. present — a gift
  16. race — a contest
  17. pop — music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pop — soda
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pop — to visit

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