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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: net · content · rash · bay · field · arm · toast · bark

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. field — for sport
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. content — the amount
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. net — in sport
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. net — for catching
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. toast — bread
  12. field — farmland
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. content — happy
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rash — a series
  20. net — after costs
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bark — to shout
  23. field — a subject
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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