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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: club · bark · lean · root · firm · drill · fork · spell

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. firm — a company
  6. drill — army training
  7. bark — to shout
  8. spell — magic
  9. firm — decided
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. root — of a word
  13. spell — a short time
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. spell — letters
  18. club — a group
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. firm — steady
  21. club — for dancing
  22. drill — the tool
  23. club — for golf
  24. root — of a plant

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