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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: clip · leaves · bulb · bank · rock · race · cabinet · track

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bank — for money
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. race — humankind
  5. bulb — for light
  6. track — a path
  7. bulb — for light
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bank — for money
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. clip — for paper
  13. rock — a stone
  14. clip — a video
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. clip — to cut
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cabinet — ministers

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