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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stock — goods
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — shares
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pit — in a race
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. race — humankind
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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