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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: net · ruler · bark · chip · bear · wax · face · bank

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. net — for catching
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to confront
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bank — of a river
  12. face — to point toward
  13. net — in sport
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bank — for money
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bank — for money
  19. chip — for betting
  20. net — after costs
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. chip — to eat

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