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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stand · lie · bore · face · rock · bark · ruler · current

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. current — of water
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bark — to shout
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. current — happening now
  8. face — to confront
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. current — electric
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bore — to drill
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bore — gave birth

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