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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rash — a series
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bark — to shout
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rash — hasty
  15. roll — a list
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. key — in music
  19. rock — music
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mine — for digging

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