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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — in golf
  3. ground — crushed
  4. swing — to play on
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pit — a hole
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bark — to shout
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. swing — music
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ground — a position
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. ground — the earth

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