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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: foot · date · safe · bank · race · board · ground · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — crushed
  8. race — humankind
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. race — a contest
  11. land — ground
  12. ground — the earth
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ground — a position
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. land — to come down
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. race — the arms race

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