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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fork — in a road
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — the fish
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ball — a great time
  24. suit — clothes

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