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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. hand — help
  6. shower — rain
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. dip — a sauce

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