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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — of the year
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — in a race
  5. shower — rain
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. season — in sport
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rock — music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bark — to shout
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. kid — to tease
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. kid — child

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