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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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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: roll · bark · chip · rock · ruler · mug · stick · lean

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. roll — a cake
  3. chip — to eat
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. roll — a list
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — to shout
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rock — a stone

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