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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 120 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: bark · key · stick · mark · fork · chair · face · calf

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. key — in music
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. face — part of the head
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. face — to confront
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fork — in a road
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. key — for a lock

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