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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. chest — a box
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — the season
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. squash — to crush
  14. spring — of water
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. squash — the sport
  17. deal — to handle
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. chest — of your body
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. chest — of your body

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