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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: land · suit · fine · bay · rush · bark · row · pitcher

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. land — ground
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. fine — all right
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. land — a country
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. land — to come down
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. rush — hurry
  23. row — a line
  24. fine — a penalty

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