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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bore — to tire
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. shower — rain
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. land — ground
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. land — to come down
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. row — a line
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mark — a trace
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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