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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 116 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. capital — money
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ball — a great time
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pit — a hole
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. capital — a city

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