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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
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: fine · track · leaves · bark · can · rash · calf · patient

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bark — to shout
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. can — to be able to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. track — to keep track
  15. rash — hasty
  16. can — a tin
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. track — a song
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fine — all right
  22. track — a path
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rash — a series

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