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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: file · cabinet · key · board · temple · bark · race · wake

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. race — the arms race
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. race — humankind
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. file — a document
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. board — to get on
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. key — for a lock
  13. race — a contest
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. file — a tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — in music
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. board — a committee
  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