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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: plane · bark · pound · can · lie · sharp · rule · ruler

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rule — a law
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rule — government
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — to shout
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ruler — for measuring

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