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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. content — the amount
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. degree — temperature
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. degree — an amount
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. foot — a measure
  18. degree — from a university
  19. content — happy
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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