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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 116 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: rule · leaves · bark · firm · perch · bound · cabinet · wake

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rule — government
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wake — a trail
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. firm — decided
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. firm — a company
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bound — obliged
  19. rule — a law
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — steady
  24. rule — to rule out

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