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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · club · pit · rest · bark · race · safe · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. club — a group
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pit — in a race
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — to shout
  7. club — for golf
  8. race — a contest
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. race — humankind
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. race — the arms race
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — a break
  16. lie — to recline
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rest — what's left
  19. game — wild animals
  20. club — for dancing
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — a hole

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