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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.

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: bark · ruler · charge · spell · roll · cabinet · stick · ball

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. charge — in control
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. spell — letters
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. charge — a price
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — a short time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. spell — magic
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ball — a round shape

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