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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.

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: rash · bank · pound · spring · safe · pop · race · pitcher

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. race — a contest
  7. pop — music
  8. pound — a weight
  9. spring — the season
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pop — to visit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spring — of water
  18. rash — a series
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pop — soda
  22. race — humankind
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spring — a coil

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