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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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Word bank
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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. kid — child
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. kid — to tease
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. tube — a container
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bear — the animal
  24. deal — to handle

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