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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. firm — steady
  4. squash — to crush
  5. track — a path
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — a contest
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. suit — in cards
  10. race — humankind
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. track — a song
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mark — a trace
  18. firm — a company
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. firm — decided
  24. stem — a stem cell

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