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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: suit · bear · mark · foot · mate · bark · rest · charge

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mark — a grade
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mark — a trace
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bear — the animal
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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