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

Word bank: race · file · bank · bear · rest · fine

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — humankind
  5. bank — of a river
  6. race — a contest
  7. file — a document
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fine — all right
  12. file — a tool
  13. rest — a break
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money

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