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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 116 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: bank · pitch · rash · charge · mouse · race · row · rest

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rash — a series
  6. charge — in control
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. rest — a break
  10. race — a contest
  11. row — a line
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — a price
  20. race — the arms race
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bank — of a river
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rash — hasty

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