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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. race — the arms race
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. board — to get on
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bark — to shout
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. board — a committee
  12. race — a contest
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. bulb — for light
  16. race — humankind
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bulb — for light

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