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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mate — a friend
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bark — to shout

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