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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: rock · bound · rash · jam · race · clip · cabinet · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. race — a contest
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bank — for money
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bound — certain
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bank — for money
  9. clip — to cut
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. race — humankind
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. clip — a video
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rash — hasty
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. clip — for paper
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rash — a series
  21. rock — music
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bound — obliged

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