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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. suit — in cards
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. suit — to fit
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pound — a weight
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. kick — in football
  22. scale — in music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. kick — with a leg

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