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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: band · bay · object · file · rash · rock · bark · fork

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. file — a document
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bark — to shout
  11. rock — music
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. band — a ring
  15. fork — in a road
  16. file — a tool
  17. object — a thing
  18. rock — a stone
  19. band — a music group
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. object — an aim
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. object — to protest

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