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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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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rock — a stone
  10. object — to protest
  11. bark — to shout
  12. object — an aim
  13. date — the fruit
  14. chip — for betting
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rock — music
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. object — a thing
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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