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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 · ruler · pound · court · bank · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — for money
  3. court — of a king
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — a contest
  6. pound — a weight
  7. race — humankind
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — the arms race
  13. court — of law
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. court — for sport
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth

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