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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. spell — letters
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — a safe
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. spell — magic
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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