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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: firm · wind · fork · press · board · bowl · track · bark

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wind — moving air
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bark — to shout
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. board — to get on
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. track — a song
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. firm — decided
  16. board — a committee
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. press — to push
  19. track — a path
  20. firm — steady
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wind — moving air

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