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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: fork · chip · stem · tube · bowl · deal · bark · hand

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. hand — in cards
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stem — to come from
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. chip — for betting
  16. tube — a container
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. hand — help
  24. tube — the underground

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