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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 · cell · bear · board · fork · bark · deal · suit

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cell — a phone
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cell — in biology
  24. fork — in a road

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