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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. net — in sport
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. last — finally
  6. net — after costs
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. club — for golf
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. net — for catching
  12. can — to be able to
  13. club — for dancing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. last — final
  16. rock — music
  17. bark — to shout
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. last — to go on
  20. can — a tin
  21. sharp — clever
  22. club — a group
  23. rock — a stone
  24. can — a tin

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