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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: bear · fall · mate · bark · suit · rock · nail · hand

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fall — the season
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hand — help
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rock — a stone
  15. suit — in cards
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — music
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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