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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lie — to recline
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. track — a path
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — a song

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