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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. race — a contest
  7. board — a committee
  8. pitch — completely
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wound — an injury
  13. tube — a container
  14. board — to get on
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bark — to shout
  18. tube — the underground
  19. race — the arms race
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rash — a series
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pitch — a sports field

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