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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. face — to confront
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bark — to shout
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pound — a weight
  24. face — to point toward

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