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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 116 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: pound · net · press · swing · mark · bark · leaves · fork

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. net — in sport
  3. swing — to play on
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. net — after costs
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. swing — music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mark — a trace
  13. net — for catching
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. press — to push
  21. bark — to shout
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pound — a weight

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