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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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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: bay · mouse · pitch · mark · row · bark · file · ruler

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. file — a document
  4. bark — to shout
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. row — a line
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. file — a tool
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mouse — the animal

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