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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. firm — decided
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — a company
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bark — to shout
  10. race — humankind
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. race — the arms race
  14. cap — a lid
  15. firm — steady
  16. spell — letters
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. spell — magic
  22. race — a contest
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pass — to succeed

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