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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bark — to shout
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. staff — employees
  12. hand — help
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. board — a committee
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bear — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. staff — a stick
  22. board — to get on
  23. staff — employees
  24. wax — to grow

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