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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: mark · calf · file · rock · bark · ground · rest · track

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ground — crushed
  4. track — a path
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. ground — the earth
  8. file — a line of people
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rest — what's left
  12. file — a document
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rest — a break
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. track — to keep track
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. mark — a grade
  22. file — a tool
  23. track — a song
  24. rock — music

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