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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — a trail
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mate — a friend
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — a partner
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bark — to shout
  16. tube — a container
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — from a university
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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