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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 · straw · bore · scale · object · mark · stick · bark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bore — to drill
  10. object — a thing
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. object — an aim
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. object — to protest
  22. fork — in a road
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in music

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