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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bound — certain
  3. degree — temperature
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. degree — an amount
  6. stand — to bear
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. degree — from a university
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. roll — a list
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bulb — for light

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