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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · rock · sharp · perch · rule · can · kick · bark

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. kick — in football
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — to be able to
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. can — a tin
  12. rule — government
  13. perch — the fish
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bark — to shout
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. can — a tin
  21. rule — a law
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mine — belonging to me

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