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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. deal — to handle
  7. current — happening now
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mark — a grade
  10. scale — in music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a ring
  13. current — electric
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bear — the animal
  17. current — of water
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. band — a music group
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. band — a rubber band

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