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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: race · mouse · rash · bank · bowl · arm · branch · rest

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bank — of a river
  5. branch — a division
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. race — a contest
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bank — for money
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rest — a break
  17. race — humankind
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rash — a series
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bowl — a dish

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