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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · field · mine · bark · staff · rest · tube · present

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. present — there
  5. staff — employees
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. object — an aim
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rest — what's left
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. staff — employees
  12. field — a subject
  13. present — a gift
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mine — for digging
  17. present — the time now
  18. tube — a container
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. field — for sport
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. field — farmland
  24. rest — a break

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