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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 help me carry this box?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bound — obliged
  17. rash — a series
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bound — certain
  20. can — a tin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. can — a tin

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