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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. roll — a list
  6. field — for sport
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. field — a subject
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mate — to breed
  11. field — farmland
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. firm — steady
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mate — a friend
  19. firm — decided
  20. roll — a cake
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mouse — the animal

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