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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 · straw · suit · rush · mark · mate · bound · stock

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bound — certain
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stock — shares
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mate — a friend

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