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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 120 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: board · fine · present · kid · bark · prune · current · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fine — all right
  4. kid — to tease
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — there
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bark — to shout
  10. board — to get on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. present — a gift
  14. fine — high quality
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. kid — child
  19. current — of water
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. present — the time now

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