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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. spell — magic
  3. fork — in a road
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ball — a dance
  13. face — to confront
  14. swing — to play on
  15. last — finally
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. last — to go on
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. swing — in golf
  21. last — final
  22. spell — letters
  23. swing — music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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