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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. spell — letters
  3. face — to point toward
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — to recline
  7. current — electric
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fine — all right
  12. face — to confront
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. current — happening now
  17. face — part of the head
  18. spell — magic
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bark — to shout
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. current — of water
  24. club — for dancing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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