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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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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. degree — temperature
  3. land — to come down
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. spell — a short time
  10. land — a country
  11. lean — to bend
  12. can — a tin
  13. land — ground
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spell — letters
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — a tin
  20. degree — an amount
  21. spell — magic
  22. degree — from a university
  23. lean — thin
  24. mouse — the animal

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