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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — to go on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. track — a song
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. track — a path

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