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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: ball · object · kick · stick · bark · mark · ruler · land

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. object — to protest
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. land — a country
  5. ball — a great time
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. land — to come down
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. land — ground
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. object — an aim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. object — a thing

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