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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. wax — to grow
  3. dip — to sink
  4. firm — steady
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. firm — a company
  7. squash — to crush
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. current — of water
  11. fork — in a road
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. current — happening now
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. board — to get on
  16. bark — to shout
  17. current — electric
  18. firm — decided
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. board — a committee
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. squash — the vegetable

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