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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 120 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: branch · ruler · rock · stand · pitcher · clip · staff · bark

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bark — to shout
  14. staff — employees
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — a division
  18. clip — to cut
  19. rock — music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. staff — employees
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — a video

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