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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · dip · ruler · date · bark · bear · temple · charge

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. date — the fruit
  3. current — happening now
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — electric
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. current — of water
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bark — of a tree

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