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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. last — to go on
  10. ball — a great time
  11. last — finally
  12. present — there
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. band — a ring
  16. suit — to fit
  17. present — a gift
  18. last — final
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. present — the time now
  23. bark — to shout
  24. ball — a round shape

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