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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. suit — clothes
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bark — to shout
  6. race — a contest
  7. present — a gift
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cap — of ice
  10. board — to get on
  11. race — humankind
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — a committee
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. present — there
  20. suit — in cards
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. race — the arms race

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