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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — size or range
  3. capital — money
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pit — in a race
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — in music
  14. capital — a city
  15. bark — to shout
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. squash — to crush
  19. club — a group
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. capital — a big letter

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