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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rash — a series
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. staff — employees
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. firm — decided
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. firm — steady
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. staff — a stick
  24. hide — to keep secret

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