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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fork — in a road
  4. march — the month
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wind — moving air
  18. march — the month
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. foot — a measure
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. march — music
  24. pass — a permit

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