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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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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: bowl · race · root · wind · swing · suit · safe · bank

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. suit — clothes
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. suit — in cards
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — humankind
  12. bank — of a river
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bank — for money
  17. wind — moving air
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. race — a contest
  20. root — the cause
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wind — moving air
  24. root — of a word

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