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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: cabinet · stick · hide · bank · bay · race

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bank — for money
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. race — humankind
  17. bank — for money
  18. race — a contest

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