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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 116 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: bark · tear · staff · row · rush · pass · racket · perch

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. staff — employees
  8. pass — a permit
  9. tear — to rip
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. staff — employees
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. row — a line
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — to shout
  18. staff — a stick
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. row — to paddle
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rush — hurry

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