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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — for money
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bark — to shout
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. ground — a position
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. snap — to click
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bank — of a river
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ground — the earth
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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