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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: fork · sharp · dip · bore · bark · mouse · pound · arm

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bark — to shout
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pound — a weight
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. arm — part of the body

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