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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: bark · roll · fan · bank · bear · bay · mouse · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. roll — a list
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — for money
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. roll — a cake
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. race — a contest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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