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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.

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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: ground · fork · face · deal · bark · ruler · suit · race

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ground — a position
  6. face — to confront
  7. ground — the earth
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. race — a contest
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — to shout
  21. race — humankind
  22. face — to point toward
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fork — in a road

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