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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: bound · rule · ball · bark · rest · fork · trunk · pass

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rule — a law
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rest — a break
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. rule — government
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bound — certain
  24. rule — to rule out

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