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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 120 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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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: bear · firm · row · bat · key · pass · bark · fork

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. key — for a lock
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. firm — steady
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. firm — decided
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. row — a line
  24. bark — to shout

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