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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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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: bore · capital · fine · jam · rash · wake · bark · leaves

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. capital — money
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. capital — a city
  13. bore — to drill
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fine — all right
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rash — a series
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rash — hasty

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