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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bark — to shout
  7. charge — a price
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pop — to visit
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — child
  15. bound — certain
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bound — tied together
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. charge — in control
  24. bark — of a tree

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