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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bear — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bass — low music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bark — to shout
  7. track — a song
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. track — a path
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. race — humankind
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. race — the arms race
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. track — to keep track
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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