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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bark — to shout
  11. staff — employees
  12. track — to keep track
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. track — a path
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. track — a song

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