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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bat — the animal
  6. race — humankind
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — the arms race
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. race — a contest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. kid — child
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mouse — for a computer

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