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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — a contest
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — a container
  8. bank — of a river
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. race — humankind
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rest — what's left
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lie — to recline

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