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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: race · lie · date · mug · bank · content · coach · scale

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. race — the arms race
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. race — humankind
  17. mug — to rob
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. scale — in music
  21. content — the amount
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mug — a face
  24. race — a contest

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