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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. ground — crushed
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ground — the earth
  14. prune — to trim
  15. last — finally
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. last — final
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. prune — to trim
  24. last — to go on

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