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

Word bank: fork · lean · rest · rash · toast · snap · tube · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fork — in a road
  8. tube — a container
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lean — thin
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bark — to shout
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. snap — to click
  16. toast — bread
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rest — a break
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rash — a series
  24. fork — to eat with

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