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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ball — a great time
  5. net — in sport
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. craft — boats
  11. net — for catching
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. pit — a hole
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. net — after costs

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