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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. suit — to fit
  19. date — the fruit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chip — for betting
  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