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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bark — to shout
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fine — high quality
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. drill — army training
  10. race — the arms race
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. race — a contest
  13. bat — the animal
  14. press — to push
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fine — all right
  17. drill — a practice
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rock — music

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