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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bark — to shout
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pop — soda
  6. bass — the fish
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. chair — a leader
  12. shower — rain
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bass — low music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. charge — a price
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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