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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. content — the amount
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. degree — temperature
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rock — music
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. content — happy
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. prune — to trim
  24. degree — an amount

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