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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bark — to shout
  4. race — a contest
  5. can — a tin
  6. race — humankind
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — of water
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. can — to be able to
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. current — electric
  23. race — the arms race
  24. nail — on a finger

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