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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 · bowl · bark · kick · mug · rest · stand · key

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rest — a break
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mug — a face
  8. kick — in football
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. key — in music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stand — for spectators

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