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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bark — to shout
  4. can — a tin
  5. present — a gift
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. present — there
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. race — humankind
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cue — for pool
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. craft — boats
  18. cue — a signal
  19. can — a tin
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cue — a hint
  22. race — a contest
  23. can — to be able to
  24. race — the arms race

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