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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: mark · temple · band · racket · leaves · cap · suit · bark

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mark — a trace
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mark — a grade
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. band — a ring
  9. cap — a lid
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cap — a hat
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. cap — of ice
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. band — a music group
  24. suit — clothes

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