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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 124 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stand — to bear
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. face — to confront
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mug — a face
  10. race — a contest
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. suit — to fit
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bank — for money
  16. file — a tool
  17. bark — to shout
  18. suit — in cards
  19. race — the arms race
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. file — a document
  24. bank — for money

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