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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. march — the month
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pop — music
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. march — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. march — the month
  18. tube — a container
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rush — a thrill

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