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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 120 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. key — in music
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. key — for a lock
  11. swing — in golf
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pit — a hole
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — to point toward

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