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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fork — in a road
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. charge — a price
  12. row — a line
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. key — in music
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. charge — electricity
  17. row — to paddle
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — in control
  24. key — for a lock

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