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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. race — the arms race
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bark — to shout
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — thin
  9. race — humankind
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. race — a contest
  14. drill — the tool
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. drill — army training
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bank — for money
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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