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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: spell · board · bark · object · net · current · ruler · wake

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. spell — letters
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. spell — magic
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. net — in sport
  16. current — happening now
  17. wake — a trail
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. object — a thing
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. board — to get on
  22. net — for catching
  23. board — a committee
  24. net — after costs

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