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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: board · staff · ruler · court · bark · perch · wake · bank

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bank — for money
  3. staff — a stick
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. court — of law
  6. bank — of a river
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. court — for sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. court — of a king
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. staff — employees
  23. wake — a trail
  24. perch — for a bird

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