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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. toast — bread
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. snap — to click
  10. present — the time now
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. present — a gift
  13. spring — of water
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. present — there
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. spring — the season
  24. bark — to shout

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