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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 124 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. drill — a practice
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bark — to shout
  15. ball — a great time
  16. staff — employees
  17. drill — army training
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bass — low music
  21. staff — employees
  22. drill — the tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ruler — for measuring

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