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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: jam · face · race · bore · bark · suit · game · deal

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. race — humankind
  3. game — a match
  4. bore — to drill
  5. face — to confront
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. face — to point toward
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bark — to shout
  14. race — the arms race
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bore — to tire
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. race — a contest
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. deal — to handle
  23. game — wild animals
  24. suit — clothes

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