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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: bank · object · rule · rash · firm · race · mate · net

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bank — of a river
  3. firm — a company
  4. race — a contest
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. race — humankind
  8. rash — a series
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — decided
  12. bank — for money
  13. mate — to breed
  14. race — the arms race
  15. object — a thing
  16. rule — government
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. firm — steady
  20. object — to protest
  21. rule — a law
  22. mate — a friend
  23. object — an aim
  24. net — after costs

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