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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: wake · fine · mark · fan · suit · bark · tube · fork

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bark — to shout
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mark — a trace
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fine — high quality
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. tube — a container
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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