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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bark — to shout
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. board — to get on
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pass — a permit
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. board — a committee
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pitcher — a jug

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