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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · hand · stand · bark · rest · fan · roll · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. roll — a list
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. face — to confront
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bark — to shout
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. hand — help
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rest — a break
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stand — to bear
  23. roll — a cake
  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