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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. band — a music group
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bark — to shout
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rest — a break
  19. dip — to sink
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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