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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mug — to rob
  6. capital — a city
  7. craft — boats
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. craft — a skill
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — money
  19. mug — a face
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bark — to shout
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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