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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: bark · face · ruler · wound · craft · pitch · rule · rush

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rule — a law
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rule — government
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. craft — boats
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — to confront
  24. wound — an injury

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