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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: club · bore · march · rash · leaves · bark · bay · cabinet

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. march — the month
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rash — a series
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bore — to tire
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. club — for dancing
  22. march — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — to drill

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