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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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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: mate · ruler · file · bark · kick · wake

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. file — a document
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bark — to shout
  8. file — a tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — a friend
  11. kick — in football
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner

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