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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 · bank · cue · bulb · charge · bay · nail · kid

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cue — for pool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kid — to tease
  9. cue — a signal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — for money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bank — of a river
  17. kid — child
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. race — the arms race
  20. charge — in control
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. charge — a price

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