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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. race — humankind
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rule — government
  10. craft — boats
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rule — a law
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. race — a contest

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