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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.

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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: suit · rush · mark · bore · bark · trunk · fine · jam

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bark — to shout
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fine — high quality
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. suit — to fit
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bore — gave birth

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