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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.

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: fork · chip · scale · board · ground · last · rule · bark

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. scale — in music
  3. rule — government
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. scale — size or range
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ground — a position
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. last — final
  16. board — to get on
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fork — in a road
  19. board — a committee
  20. last — to go on
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. last — finally
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. ground — crushed

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