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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. current — electric
  7. mate — to breed
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bark — to shout
  13. scale — in music
  14. current — of water
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — size or range
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. current — happening now
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mate — a friend
  24. scale — for weighing

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