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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: rash · pitcher · race · face · bank · mouse · spring · safe

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. race — a contest
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. race — humankind
  6. spring — the season
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — part of the head
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bank — for money
  14. spring — a coil
  15. face — to confront
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. race — the arms race
  19. face — to point toward
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. spring — of water

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