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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. race — the arms race
  5. object — an aim
  6. race — humankind
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — the animal
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bear — the animal
  15. race — a contest
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. object — to protest
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rock — music
  20. object — a thing
  21. deal — to handle
  22. squash — the sport
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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