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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 120 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: rest · bark · key · lean · rule · bore · pass · squash

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pass — a permit
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bore — to drill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rule — a law
  10. key — in music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rest — a break
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. squash — to crush
  22. lean — to bend
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rest — what's left

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