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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: rush · fine · bark · march · spell · toast · lean · bound

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lean — to bend
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lean — thin
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. fine — all right
  11. march — music
  12. bound — certain
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spell — magic
  17. rush — hurry
  18. spell — letters
  19. march — the month
  20. toast — bread
  21. bark — to shout
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. march — the month
  24. bound — obliged

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