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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 120 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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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 — in a road
  2. drill — army training
  3. bark — to shout
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. craft — boats
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. key — the most important part
  8. drill — a practice
  9. row — to paddle
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. craft — a skill
  18. drill — the tool
  19. row — a line
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. key — in music
  22. lean — thin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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