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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.

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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: rush · nail · mark · present · track · bark · rock · can

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. present — the time now
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mark — a trace
  8. track — to keep track
  9. present — a gift
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. track — a path
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. rock — music
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. track — a song
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mark — a grade
  21. present — there
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rock — to move gently

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