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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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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: arm · rash · race · bank · track · key · mate · content

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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. track — a song
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — the most important part
  8. race — the arms race
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bank — for money
  11. rash — a series
  12. content — happy
  13. mate — a friend
  14. race — a contest
  15. track — to keep track
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bank — of a river
  18. track — a path
  19. key — in music
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mate — to breed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. content — the amount

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