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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bark — to shout
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. pound — a weight
  10. race — humankind
  11. craft — boats
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. suit — in cards
  14. race — the arms race
  15. suit — to fit
  16. craft — a skill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lean — thin
  24. pound — to hit hard

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