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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 116 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: ruler · content · bark · stand · net · leaves · rule · fall

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fall — the season
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. net — in sport
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. net — for catching
  13. content — the amount
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stand — to bear
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. net — after costs
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. content — happy
  23. rule — a law
  24. fall — to drop

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