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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: dip · object · fan · racket · row · wave · fork · bark

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bark — to shout
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. row — to paddle
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. row — a line
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. object — to protest
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. object — a thing
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fork — in a road
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. object — an aim
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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