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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: bank · ruler · temple · bark · key · ground · mark · stick

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — a trace
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bank — for money
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. ground — the earth

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