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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bark — to shout
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bound — certain
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. degree — an amount
  20. prune — to trim
  21. degree — from a university
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. game — a match
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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