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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: ruler · pass · wave · club · lie · bark · prune · march

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. club — a group
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. club — for golf
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. march — the month
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. prune — to trim
  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