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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. game — a match
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. race — a contest
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. club — for dancing
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. game — wild animals
  12. club — a group
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. club — for golf
  21. race — humankind
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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