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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: mug · bark · bank · content · scale · mark · calf · rash

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mug — a face
  7. rash — a series
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. content — happy
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bank — of a river
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. mug — a cup
  23. content — the amount
  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