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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 120 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: kick · fall · saw · bay · staff · wake · can · bark

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. staff — employees
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. kick — in football
  9. staff — a stick
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. staff — employees
  14. fall — to drop
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fall — the season
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wake — before a funeral

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