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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · squash · lean · stand · bark · nail · cap · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. present — a gift
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. present — there
  10. lean — thin
  11. squash — to crush
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bark — to shout
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lean — to rest against

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