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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. race — humankind
  4. pit — a hole
  5. court — of law
  6. spring — the season
  7. bank — for money
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. content — happy
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — clothes
  16. court — of a king
  17. race — a contest
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. court — for sport
  20. content — the amount
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. race — the arms race
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wind — moving air

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