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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.

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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: rule · root · craft · can · bark · wound · wave · march

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bark — to shout
  5. root — of a word
  6. rule — a law
  7. march — the month
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. wound — an injury
  15. root — the cause
  16. wound — an injury
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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