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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. race — the arms race
  3. last — final
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bound — tied together
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bound — certain
  9. race — humankind
  10. suit — in cards
  11. race — a contest
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. last — finally
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bound — obliged
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — clothes
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bark — to shout
  24. last — to go on

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