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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. perch — the fish
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. club — for dancing
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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