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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 124 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. field — farmland
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. race — a contest
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. race — the arms race
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — a break
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. field — for sport
  16. race — humankind
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bank — of a river
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bank — for money
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. chair — a leader
  24. field — a subject

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