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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: stick · file · rash · bear · wind · bark · wave · fine

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. file — a document
  12. rash — a series
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rash — hasty
  21. file — a tool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fine — all right
  24. rash — on the skin

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