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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kid — to tease
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. file — a document
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. kid — child
  15. club — a group
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. toast — bread
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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