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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. race — humankind
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cap — a hat
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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