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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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a document
  8. spring — the season
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. file — a line of people
  11. spring — of water
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a great time
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. file — a tool
  19. bark — to shout
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. suit — in cards

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