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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 116 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: track · march · safe · rash · ruler · current · bark · cell

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. march — the month
  3. bark — to shout
  4. march — the month
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. current — happening now
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. track — a song
  13. current — electric
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. track — to keep track
  18. march — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. track — a path
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cell — in biology
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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