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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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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 · bark · plane · rule · degree · hide · wake · temple

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — temperature
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. degree — an amount
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rule — a law
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rule — government
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. degree — from a university
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bark — to shout

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