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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. drill — army training
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. track — to keep track
  11. drill — the tool
  12. lean — thin
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bear — the animal

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