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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: roll · press · rest · bound · file · mark · bark · mug

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rest — a break
  6. file — a tool
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bound — certain
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mark — a grade
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bound — tied together
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bound — obliged
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. roll — a list
  20. press — to push
  21. file — a document
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. press — newspapers

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