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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · bark · chest · ruler · sharp · bat · rush · club

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. club — a group
  4. chest — a box
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. club — for dancing
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bark — to shout
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. club — for golf
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bark — of a tree

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