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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bore — to drill
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bore — to tire
  16. firm — a company
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mark — a grade
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. firm — steady
  22. bark — to shout
  23. foot — a measure
  24. firm — decided

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