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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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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 · bass · mark · face · can · field · board · bear

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. can — a tin
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — a tin
  14. board — a committee
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. field — for sport
  18. face — to point toward
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. field — farmland
  21. bass — low music
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mark — a grade

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