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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. key — the most important part
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rock — music
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. key — in music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rock — a stone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. race — the arms race
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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