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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. can — a tin
  5. file — a document
  6. clip — for paper
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. file — a tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. board — to get on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. clip — a video
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a line of people
  24. clip — to cut

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