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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: fork · ruler · fan · face · pitch · bark · mouse · season

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. season — of the year
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. season — in sport
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. face — part of the head

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