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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: rash · track · stand · march · bark · rest · bound · key

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. key — the most important part
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. track — a path
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bound — certain
  10. rest — a break
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rest — what's left
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. bound — tied together
  16. march — the month
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bound — obliged
  20. key — for a lock
  21. march — music
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. march — the month

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