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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 · club · racket · can · mouse · cabinet · face · bank

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. club — for dancing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — of a river
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. race — humankind
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. can — a tin
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. club — a group
  17. can — a tin
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. race — the arms race
  21. club — for golf
  22. race — a contest
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. face — to confront

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