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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: lie · bark · fine · ruler · staff · nail · stick · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. staff — employees
  7. bark — to shout
  8. lie — to recline
  9. club — a group
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fine — all right
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. staff — a stick

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