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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. chest — a box
  3. race — a contest
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bark — to shout
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. swing — to play on
  12. chest — of your body
  13. net — after costs
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. net — in sport
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. net — for catching
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. swing — music

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