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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: march · plane · perch · foot · hide · rule · track · bark

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rule — government
  3. track — a song
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. foot — a measure
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. march — the month
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rule — a law
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bark — to shout
  17. plane — a tool
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. perch — the fish
  20. march — music
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. track — to keep track

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