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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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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: scale · ruler · mate · bark · arm · sharp · bound · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mate — to breed
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — clever
  6. scale — size or range
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — in music
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bark — to shout
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mate — a partner
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bound — certain
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mate — a friend
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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