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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. rash — a series
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cue — for pool
  10. race — humankind
  11. cue — a hint
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — happening now
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rash — hasty
  16. current — of water
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. race — a contest
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. current — electric
  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