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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mug — a face
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fork — in a road
  7. net — for catching
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bark — to shout
  18. roll — a list
  19. mug — to rob
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. roll — a cake

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