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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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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: bark · fork · capital · stick · jam · pop · rock · present

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. present — there
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pop — soda
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. present — the time now
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. rock — a stone
  10. capital — a city
  11. rock — music
  12. present — a gift
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pop — to visit
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. capital — money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pop — music
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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