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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: rule · coach · race · temple · bank · snap · stick · pitcher

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bank — of a river
  4. race — humankind
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. race — a contest
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rule — a law
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rule — government

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