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

Word bank: kid · temple · kick · rule · ruler · bark

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rule — a law
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kick — in football
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. kid — child
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kid — to tease
  18. ruler — a monarch

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