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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: bark · racket · firm · board · deal · bear · race · row

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bark — to shout
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. firm — steady
  13. race — the arms race
  14. firm — a company
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. board — a committee
  20. race — a contest
  21. firm — decided
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. deal — a big deal

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