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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. drill — army training
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — a committee
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wound — an injury
  19. sharp — clever
  20. prune — to trim
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. board — to get on
  23. drill — a practice
  24. content — the amount

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