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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: cap · ruler · rock · fine · bark · rule · stand · current

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. current — electric
  4. rock — music
  5. rule — a law
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bark — to shout
  12. rule — government
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. current — of water
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. current — happening now
  20. fine — all right
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stand — on your feet

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