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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: lean · mark · net · fork · can · rock · rash · file

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. file — a line of people
  3. net — in sport
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. file — a document
  6. net — for catching
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rock — music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rock — a stone
  15. file — a tool
  16. rash — a series
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rash — hasty
  19. can — a tin
  20. net — after costs
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — in a road
  23. can — to be able to
  24. lean — thin

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