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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. current — of water
  13. fork — in a road
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. can — a tin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. can — a tin
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. fork — to eat with
  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