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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: hide · pit · race · bank · drill · cue

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pit — a hole
  8. race — a contest
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cue — a hint
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bank — for money
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. drill — army training
  16. bank — for money
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cue — for pool

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