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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
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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: bank · race · track · game · ruler · rush · arm · mug

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. race — a contest
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mug — a face
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. race — the arms race
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bank — for money
  16. race — humankind
  17. track — a song
  18. game — a match
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bank — of a river

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