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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spring — the season
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bark — to shout
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. content — the amount
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. spring — of water
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bat — the animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. content — happy
  19. charge — a price
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. spring — a coil
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. charge — in control

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