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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ball — a great time
  4. charge — a price
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. race — a contest
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mate — a friend
  9. race — the arms race
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mate — to breed
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. race — humankind
  16. charge — in control
  17. bark — to shout
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. scale — size or range
  21. charge — electricity
  22. kick — in football
  23. scale — in music
  24. bark — of a tree

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