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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — to come down
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spring — a coil
  10. can — a tin
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. can — a tin
  13. land — a country
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. land — ground
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. spring — the season
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. can — to be able to
  22. kick — in football
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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