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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. court — of a king
  5. bark — to shout
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. race — humankind
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. snap — to click
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. court — for sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. court — of law
  22. race — a contest
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bark — of a tree

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