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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: deal · kid · object · ruler · pass · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. kid — to tease
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. object — to protest
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. kid — child
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. deal — to handle

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