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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: club · rest · pass · lean · bark · mark · wake · stand

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. club — a group
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lean — to bend
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lean — thin
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. club — for golf

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