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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cell — in biology
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. foot — a measure

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