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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: stick · rest · row · chair · suit · bark · spell · saw

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bark — to shout
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. saw — the tool
  13. row — a line
  14. spell — a short time
  15. row — to paddle
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. spell — magic
  18. suit — in cards
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spell — letters
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — clothes

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