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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: current · board · fork · row · sharp · firm · bark · lean

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. lean — to bend
  6. row — to paddle
  7. firm — decided
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. current — happening now
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. lean — thin
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. firm — a company
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. fork — in a road
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bark — to shout
  22. firm — steady
  23. row — a line
  24. board — a flat piece

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