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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pop — music
  12. bark — to shout
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — for money
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pop — soda
  24. bank — of a river

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