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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 116 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: game · mug · plane · wound · fall · present · bank · race

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fall — to drop
  4. present — there
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. game — wild animals
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. present — the time now
  11. race — a contest
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — a face
  15. race — humankind
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wound — an injury
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mug — to rob
  21. game — a match
  22. present — a gift
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fall — to drop

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