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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bark — to shout
  11. clip — for paper
  12. pit — a hole
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — in a race
  15. club — for golf
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. club — for dancing

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