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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. mate — a friend
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mate — to breed
  9. firm — a company
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — steady
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. firm — decided
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bore — gave birth

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