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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: ruler · field · court · bark · firm · charge · rule · current

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. court — of law
  3. field — for sport
  4. court — for sport
  5. field — a subject
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. charge — in control
  18. current — electric
  19. charge — electricity
  20. current — of water
  21. field — farmland
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. current — happening now
  24. court — of a king

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