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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.

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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: fine · fork · bark · racket · snap · firm · scale · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. scale — in music
  9. fine — high quality
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. snap — to click
  12. bore — to drill
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fine — all right
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. firm — decided

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