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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rest — a break
  4. track — a path
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rest — what's left
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bark — to shout
  11. drill — army training
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. track — a song
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — a part of something

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