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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 124 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — to paddle
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. row — a line
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pound — a weight
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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