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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: rule · wind · bark · nail · lean · bore · foot · staff

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bark — to shout
  3. rule — government
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. staff — employees
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lean — thin
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lean — to bend
  17. staff — employees
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rule — a law

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