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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. court — for sport
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. content — happy
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. court — of a king
  20. perch — the fish
  21. content — the amount
  22. court — of law
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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