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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · mine · racket · cabinet · board · bark · mug · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. toast — bread
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bark — to shout
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. mug — a face
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mug — to rob
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — a cup

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