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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: cell · race · cue · stick · pass · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cell — a phone
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bank — for money
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cell — in biology
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cue — a hint
  13. race — humankind
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. race — a contest
  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