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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bark — to shout
  7. track — a song
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. tube — the underground
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tube — a container
  13. track — to keep track
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wind — moving air
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. track — a path
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wind — to turn a key

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