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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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. foot — a measure
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. suit — to fit
  10. firm — decided
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. firm — a company
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — a series
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bark — to shout
  18. firm — steady
  19. race — humankind
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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