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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: mark · calf · lean · suit · rash · bass · land · fork

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rash — hasty
  3. land — ground
  4. suit — in cards
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rash — a series
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. land — a country
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bass — low music
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lean — thin
  19. mark — a trace
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. fork — in a road

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