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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 116 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: leaves · ruler · wind · straw · stand · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wind — moving air
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stand — to bear
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wind — moving air
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. 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