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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. race — humankind
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bark — to shout
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. race — a contest
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mate — a friend
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of a tree

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