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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. race — humankind
  6. firm — a company
  7. spell — magic
  8. pop — music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. race — a contest
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pop — soda
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bark — to shout
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. race — the arms race
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spell — letters

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