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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — in sport
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. shower — to wash
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. net — for catching
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. net — after costs
  12. land — a country
  13. mug — a face
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. land — to come down
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. land — ground
  21. bark — to shout
  22. shower — rain
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mug — to rob

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