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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: season · staff · race · pitcher · bank · mug · ruler · tear

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. race — humankind
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. race — a contest
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bank — of a river
  8. season — in sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. season — of the year
  14. race — the arms race
  15. staff — employees
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. tear — from crying
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. staff — employees

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