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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: bark · drill · fork · spell · bass · cabinet · ruler · season

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bass — low music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. spell — letters
  16. drill — army training
  17. spell — magic
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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