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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · bank · race · charge · lash · object · face · ground

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. charge — a price
  3. object — a thing
  4. last — to go on
  5. ground — crushed
  6. race — a contest
  7. last — final
  8. ground — the earth
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. face — to confront
  11. race — the arms race
  12. charge — in control
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. face — to point toward
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. object — an aim
  18. bank — for money
  19. ground — a position
  20. face — part of the head
  21. last — finally
  22. race — humankind
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — to protest

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