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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. race — humankind
  3. can — to be able to
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. root — the cause
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. race — a contest
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. can — a tin
  22. bark — to shout
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — of a plant

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