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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: squash · ruler · march · bark · present · root · craft · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. craft — boats
  5. can — a tin
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. present — there
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — a skill
  11. root — the cause
  12. march — the month
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. march — music
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bark — to shout
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. root — of a word
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. squash — to crush
  24. can — to be able to

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