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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: cue · craft · bark · ground · rush · pass · kid · ruler

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. kid — child
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pass — a permit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. craft — boats
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. ground — a position
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. kid — to tease

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