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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. firm — a company
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. firm — decided
  14. fork — in a road
  15. firm — steady
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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