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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 · bark · row · toast · rock · date · file · pass

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bark — to shout
  3. file — a line of people
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. row — a line
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a document
  9. mark — a grade
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. toast — bread
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rock — music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pass — a permit
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mark — a trace
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. date — the fruit

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