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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: race · hide · firm · saw · bank · mouse · wave · dip

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. race — a contest
  3. firm — a company
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. dip — to sink
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. firm — steady
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. firm — decided
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. race — the arms race
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. race — humankind
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. hide — animal skin

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