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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: ball · lean · bank · pit · race · ruler · club · bark

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — in a race
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. ball — a great time
  15. race — a contest
  16. pit — a hole
  17. lean — thin
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. race — humankind
  24. bank — of a river

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