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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. kid — child
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fork — in a road
  9. race — the arms race
  10. kid — to tease
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. race — a contest
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. race — humankind
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pound — a weight
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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