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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bound — tied together
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cold — not warm
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bound — certain
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. suit — in cards

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