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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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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: ruler · bore · firm · can · scale · foot · rock · bark

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bore — to tire
  3. can — a tin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. scale — size or range
  6. firm — steady
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. can — a tin
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. firm — a company
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bark — to shout
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bore — to drill
  19. can — to be able to
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — in music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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