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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cell — in biology
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fork — in a road
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. foot — a measure
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cell — a phone
  24. foot — the bottom

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