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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. charge — in control
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bark — to shout
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mine — for digging
  11. wound — an injury
  12. object — a thing
  13. band — a ring
  14. object — to protest
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. band — a music group
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. object — an aim
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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