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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: ruler · file · chip · rest · bark · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rest — what's left
  3. file — a line of people
  4. present — a gift
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. file — a tool
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. present — there
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. file — a document
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat

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