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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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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 · suit · root · stand · bark · band · board · cell

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. root — the cause
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fork — in a road
  7. band — a music group
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. band — a ring
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cell — a phone
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. board — a committee
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — to get on
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cell — in biology

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