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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 · bark · object · perch · pit · content · root · stand

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bark — to shout
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. root — of a plant
  8. object — to protest
  9. root — of a word
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. content — the amount
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fork — in a road
  15. content — happy
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — a thing
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pit — a hole
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — the cause
  24. perch — the fish

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