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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
468
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: ground · bark · stick · ruler · ball · dip · wake · sharp

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wake — a trail
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ground — crushed
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bark — to shout
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ground — a position
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ball — a dance
  22. sharp — clever
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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