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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: roll · mark · fine · suit · bank · bound · band · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. roll — a list
  4. bound — certain
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bark — to shout
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bound — obliged
  11. band — a ring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. band — a music group
  19. fine — all right
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — a cake
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bank — for money

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