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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: stick · firm · wind · suit · bark · coach · nail · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. suit — in cards
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. firm — steady
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. fork — in a road
  21. firm — decided
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. firm — a company
  24. suit — clothes

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