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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fork — in a road
  3. last — final
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rock — a stone
  6. staff — employees
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. last — to go on
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. staff — employees
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. bark — to shout
  21. board — a committee
  22. last — finally
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. board — to get on

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