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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: cue · bulb · ruler · land · lie · bark · bore · wake

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. land — ground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — to come down
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bark — to shout
  24. land — a country

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