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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: field · charge · bore · race · mouse · last · bank · wave

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bank — of a river
  3. race — humankind
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. race — a contest
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. field — farmland
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bank — for money
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bank — for money
  13. bore — to tire
  14. field — for sport
  15. charge — electricity
  16. last — final
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. race — the arms race
  20. charge — a price
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. last — to go on
  23. bore — to drill
  24. charge — in control

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