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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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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: spell · fork · stand · press · bark · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spell — letters
  7. stand — to bear
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. press — to push
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. spell — magic
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fork — to eat with

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