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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pound — a weight
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. board — to get on
  15. ground — a position
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. leaves — of a tree

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