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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: bowl · racket · bark · bulb · lie · calf · kick · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — to recline
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bark — to shout
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. kick — a thrill

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