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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: pop · root · bark · wake · fork · shower · bound · chair

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wake — a trail
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. root — of a word
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bound — certain
  13. root — the cause
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. root — of a plant
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fork — in a road
  24. wake — before a funeral

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