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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
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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: bark · suit · scale · hide · pound · mark

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. 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. pound — a weight
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mark — a trace
  6. scale — size or range
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mark — a grade
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bark — to shout
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. 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