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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · lean · chip · fork · bound · bark · racket · plane

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bark — to shout
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. lean — thin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bound — certain
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bound — obliged
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. chip — to eat
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bound — tied together

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