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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: lash · track · can · current · bark · fork · rule · fall

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rule — government
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. current — electric
  5. track — a path
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — happening now
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fall — to drop
  14. current — of water
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bark — to shout
  18. track — a song
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rule — a law
  22. fall — the season
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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