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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. row — a line
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rash — a series
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. present — there
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. row — to paddle
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mug — a face
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. present — a gift
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mug — a cup
  19. present — the time now
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mug — to rob
  24. racket — for tennis

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