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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lean — thin
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. present — a gift
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lean — to bend
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. drill — army training
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — a practice
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. present — there
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. net — after costs
  24. prune — to trim

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