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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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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: club · fork · bore · bark · mouse · stick · dip · pass

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — to drill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bark — to shout
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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