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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · bay · pop · fork · scale · present · bark · face

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pop — music
  3. present — the time now
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pop — to visit
  6. face — part of the head
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. present — a gift
  11. face — to point toward
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. scale — in music
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. scale — size or range
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. present — there
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. face — to confront
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pop — soda

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