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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: land · rash · ruler · snap · bowl · staff · bark · toast

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rash — hasty
  3. land — ground
  4. staff — employees
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rash — a series
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. land — a country
  11. snap — to click
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. toast — bread
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. land — to come down
  23. staff — employees
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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