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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bark — to shout
  5. fork — in a road
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rest — what's left
  12. charge — in control
  13. fall — the season
  14. rest — what's left
  15. charge — a price
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rest — a break
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. charge — electricity

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