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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
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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: cabinet · fan · nail · bark · track · rash · spell · can

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rash — a series
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. track — to keep track
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. track — a path
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. spell — letters
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — a song
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rash — hasty
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — magic

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