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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 120 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: object · pit · bark · rock · row · hide · court · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. court — for sport
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rock — music
  9. pit — in a race
  10. court — of law
  11. object — an aim
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. row — a line
  15. court — of a king
  16. object — to protest
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. object — a thing
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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