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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: cabinet · current · track · mark · dip · bark · rule · net

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. 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. current — happening now
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rule — government
  4. current — of water
  5. net — in sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. current — electric
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — a song
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. track — to keep track
  14. net — for catching
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. net — after costs
  18. track — a path
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. 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