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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 120 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: bank · file · firm · march · craft · race · pitch · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. file — a line of people
  3. firm — a company
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — a contest
  7. march — the month
  8. craft — a skill
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitch — completely
  14. firm — steady
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. craft — boats
  18. bank — for money
  19. march — music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. march — the month
  22. bank — of a river
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a tool

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