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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. board — to get on
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. board — a committee
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. key — in music
  11. fork — in a road
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. hand — help
  15. key — the most important part
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. content — the amount
  19. can — to be able to
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. key — for a lock
  24. content — happy

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