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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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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: ground · stick · deal · bank · race · foot · can · court

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bank — for money
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. race — humankind
  8. court — of a king
  9. ground — a position
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. can — a tin
  18. bank — for money
  19. race — the arms race
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. race — a contest
  22. ground — crushed
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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