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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: fine · bark · row · press · hide · rock · fan · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. row — to paddle
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. row — a line
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fine — all right
  10. press — a publisher
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rock — music
  14. press — newspapers
  15. track — a path
  16. bark — to shout
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. press — to push
  24. rock — a stone

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