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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rash — a series
  10. current — happening now
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. rash — hasty
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — of water
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bark — to shout
  24. ruler — for measuring

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