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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 116 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: saw · row · board · ball · bark · deal · pop · fork

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pop — soda
  5. board — a committee
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. row — a line
  10. pop — music
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. board — to get on
  13. ball — a dance
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bark — to shout
  18. deal — to handle
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. ball — a great time
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fork — a garden tool

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