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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. object — a thing
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. content — happy
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. content — the amount
  7. rock — music
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bark — to shout
  10. staff — employees
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rule — government
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. rule — a law
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. track — to keep track
  24. content — videos and posts

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