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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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Word bank
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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: kick · race · firm · charge · bark · spring · content · lean

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. charge — in control
  3. firm — decided
  4. race — a contest
  5. bark — to shout
  6. spring — a coil
  7. kick — in football
  8. firm — a company
  9. lean — thin
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. race — humankind
  13. content — happy
  14. spring — of water
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. content — the amount
  17. charge — electricity
  18. spring — the season
  19. lean — to bend
  20. charge — a price
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. firm — steady
  24. kick — a thrill

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