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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 it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. hand — help
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — to recline
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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