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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ruler · fan · bay · date · march · bark

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. march — the month
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. date — the fruit
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. date — on the calendar

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