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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: can · row · squash · file · snap · last · race · bank

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. row — to paddle
  4. squash — to crush
  5. can — a tin
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a document
  9. last — finally
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — a tin
  12. race — a contest
  13. snap — to click
  14. row — a line
  15. last — final
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. race — humankind
  18. bank — of a river
  19. file — a line of people
  20. last — to go on
  21. can — to be able to
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. race — the arms race
  24. squash — the sport

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