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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: race · bowl · bank · can · rash · cell · mark · squash

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. race — humankind
  3. mark — a grade
  4. can — a tin
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. race — the arms race
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rash — a series
  12. can — a tin
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cell — a phone
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. squash — the sport
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. race — a contest
  24. cell — in biology

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