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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bark · sharp · face · ruler · press · squash · calf · firm

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. firm — decided
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. face — to confront
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. press — a publisher
  11. face — part of the head
  12. firm — a company
  13. squash — the sport
  14. face — to point toward
  15. press — newspapers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bark — to shout
  20. firm — steady
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. press — to push
  24. ruler — for measuring

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