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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · mug · bore · spring · ruler · plane · race · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bank — for money
  5. game — wild animals
  6. plane — a tool
  7. race — humankind
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mug — to rob
  10. spring — of water
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bore — to tire
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bore — to drill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. race — a contest
  17. mug — a face
  18. game — a match
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — the season
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. race — the arms race

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