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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: bank · racket · bear · bass · snap · race · saw · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — for money
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. race — humankind
  6. bass — the fish
  7. snap — to click
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. bear — the animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bear — the animal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bank — of a river
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bank — for money
  21. bass — low music
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. race — a contest
  24. bass — the instrument

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