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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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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: rest · fork · leaves · bark · wave · lie · tube · pound

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rest — a break
  21. bark — to shout
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — an untruth

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