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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. present — there
  3. wound — an injury
  4. tube — the underground
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — a container
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. present — a gift
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wake — a trail
  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