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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — humankind
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. object — a thing
  5. bark — to shout
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. race — a contest
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rest — what's left
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rest — a break
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. object — an aim
  19. lean — thin
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pit — in a race
  24. object — to protest

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