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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 116 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: cabinet · wake · mark · bass · staff · bark · stand · pass

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bark — to shout
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bass — low music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wake — a trail
  24. stand — to bear

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