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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.

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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: craft · bat · bank · rock · bulb · race · suit · tear

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. race — humankind
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. tear — from crying
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rock — music
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bank — for money
  17. race — a contest
  18. rock — a stone
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. race — the arms race
  22. suit — clothes
  23. craft — boats
  24. suit — to fit

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