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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. plane — a tool
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lean — thin
  8. firm — steady
  9. lean — to bend
  10. race — a contest
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bore — to drill
  14. suit — in cards
  15. game — a match
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. race — the arms race
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. suit — to fit
  20. firm — a company
  21. game — wild animals
  22. race — humankind
  23. firm — decided
  24. bark — 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