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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 116 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: squash · object · face · bark · lie · race · key · wave

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bark — to shout
  4. face — to confront
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — an aim
  7. key — for a lock
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. face — to point toward
  12. race — a contest
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. face — part of the head
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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