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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: bark · wave · ruler · wake · hide · rule · safe · coach

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rule — a law
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wake — a trail
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rule — government

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