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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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468
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: land · face · stand · rule · bore · foot · calf · bark

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. land — ground
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — a measure
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bark — to shout
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. land — a country
  14. land — to come down
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rule — government
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bore — to tire
  21. face — to confront
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bore — to drill
  24. face — to point toward

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