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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 120 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — a contest
  3. key — in music
  4. tube — a container
  5. bark — to shout
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pop — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pop — soda
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. race — the arms race
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. race — humankind
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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