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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: bark · racket · fan · land · suit · fall · can · rock

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fall — the season
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rock — a stone
  12. land — a country
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. land — to come down
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fall — to drop
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. land — ground
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. bark — to shout

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