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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · fan · tube · swing · roll · patient · bark · mark

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. roll — a cake
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bark — to shout
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. roll — a list
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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