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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bark — to shout
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — to fit
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rush — hurry
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. net — after costs
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. vault — a safe
  16. row — a line
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. net — in sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. ruler — a monarch

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