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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
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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: ball · mark · mouse · suit · stick · march · capital · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — a trace
  4. suit — in cards
  5. march — music
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a great time
  17. capital — money
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. capital — a city
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mark — a grade

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