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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bark — to shout
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bound — tied together
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bear — the animal

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