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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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · bark · coach · can · spell · object · fork · perch

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. spell — a short time
  4. object — a thing
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — the fish
  7. object — an aim
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — to protest
  11. spell — letters
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bark — to shout
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — in a road
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spell — magic
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. row — a line

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