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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: bark · rest · suit · scale · wave · bear · race · bowl

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bark — to shout
  6. scale — in music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rest — what's left
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. race — humankind
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. race — a contest

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