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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.

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: fine · stand · can · cell · bark · fork · land · bore

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cell — in biology
  5. land — ground
  6. cell — a phone
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bore — to drill
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fine — all right
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bore — to tire
  22. can — to be able to
  23. land — a country
  24. land — to come down

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