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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — final
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. march — the month
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. march — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — a price
  12. march — the month
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. rest — a break
  16. bark — to shout
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. last — finally
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. last — to go on
  24. can — a tin

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