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

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. band — a ring
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bear — the animal
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. straw — a straw man

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