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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: mate · bank · lash · present · race · firm

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. race — the arms race
  3. present — there
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. race — a contest
  6. mate — to breed
  7. firm — a company
  8. bank — for money
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. firm — steady
  11. mate — a friend
  12. firm — decided
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. present — a gift
  15. mate — a partner
  16. present — the time now
  17. bank — of a river
  18. race — humankind

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