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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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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: mouse · bank · clip · stick · ruler · rest · degree · bark

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bank — for money
  5. rest — a break
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. clip — a video
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. clip — for paper
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. degree — an amount
  16. rest — what's left
  17. clip — to cut
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bank — for money
  24. ruler — a monarch

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