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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: mark · rash · field · staff · current · file · pass · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. staff — employees
  3. field — for sport
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pass — a permit
  6. staff — employees
  7. mark — a trace
  8. staff — a stick
  9. file — a tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — hasty
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. field — a subject
  20. current — happening now
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. file — a document
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. field — farmland

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