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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: prune · bank · mark · plane · race · cabinet · chest · bound

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bound — obliged
  6. race — humankind
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chest — of your body
  9. race — a contest
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bound — tied together
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bound — certain
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bank — for money
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. plane — a tool

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