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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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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: leaves · cap · mine · bark · arm · ruler · temple · stick

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cap — a hat
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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