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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 116 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
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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: rock · bay · pass · squash · bark · tube · scale · fork

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. scale — in music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fork — in a road
  24. scale — for weighing

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