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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: rule · bowl · race · bear · bank · tear · capital · ball

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. race — a contest
  4. tear — from crying
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rule — a law
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rule — government
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. capital — money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. capital — a city
  16. ball — a great time
  17. tear — from crying
  18. race — humankind
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. ball — a dance
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bowl — a dish

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