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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. race — the arms race
  3. season — in sport
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. staff — employees
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cap — a hat
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. season — of the year
  13. staff — employees
  14. degree — temperature
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. race — a contest
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. staff — a stick
  19. race — humankind
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wake — a trail

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