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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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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: bark · straw · suit · board · file · temple · ruler · arm

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. file — a document
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — to get on
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. file — a tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. file — a line of people
  24. suit — clothes

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