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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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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: face · kid · bark · ruler · rest · bulb · pass · hide

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — for light
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — to tease
  22. face — to confront
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bulb — for light

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