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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: kick · bank · ruler · bark · ground · club

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. club — a group
  6. kick — in football
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bank — for money
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. club — for golf
  14. ground — a position
  15. bank — of a river
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bank — for money

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