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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · club · bear · bank · scale · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — of a river
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — a contest
  7. scale — size or range
  8. club — a group
  9. scale — in music
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bear — the animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. club — for golf
  15. race — humankind
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal

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