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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. shower — rain
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bark — to shout
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tube — a container
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. shower — to wash
  24. wave — of the sea

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