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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: kid · branch · bark · racket · stand · lie · ruler · rule

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. rule — government
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kid — child
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rule — a law

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