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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: wax · rash · fine · suit · net · bark · track · present

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bark — to shout
  3. net — for catching
  4. fine — all right
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. track — to keep track
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — to fit
  9. present — the time now
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. net — in sport
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. present — there
  17. net — after costs
  18. rash — a series
  19. track — a song
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. fine — high quality
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rash — hasty
  24. track — a path

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