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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. race — a contest
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. race — the arms race
  5. firm — a company
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. race — humankind
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. firm — steady
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wake — a trail
  24. firm — decided

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