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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. race — humankind
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. net — for catching
  6. race — the arms race
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. net — after costs
  10. drill — the tool
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. drill — army training
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — to shout
  23. drill — a practice
  24. race — a contest

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