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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: perch · bark · drill · root · toast · fork · wave · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. toast — bread
  3. root — the cause
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. root — of a word
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bark — to shout
  9. drill — army training
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. fork — in a road
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. perch — the fish
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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