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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. race — humankind
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. drill — army training
  11. spell — magic
  12. swing — music
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. swing — in golf
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. drill — a practice
  17. plane — a tool
  18. spell — letters
  19. bark — to shout
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. spell — a short time
  24. swing — to play on

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